


Dawn of (In)Justice

by HydraDahl



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman/Batman (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Attempted Murder, Bat Cave, DireWarningFromTheFuture, Eventual Relationship Superbat, Evil Speech, Flashback Batman Perspective on Zod fight, Formation of Justice and Injustice League, Future DC Heroes, Future Injustice League, Joker Jason Todd, Justice, M/M, Parademons, Possible Jason/Dick, SuperBat, Watchtower - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-04-14 16:28:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4571544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HydraDahl/pseuds/HydraDahl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Justice V Injustice<br/>Bruce has the chance to finally end Clark, an opportunity he turns down in favor of better judgement. The anonymity between the two slowly dissipates over time as they become more well acquainted.<br/>Their destiny no longer shrouded in darkness it is a new dawn.<br/>Not only for them...</p><p>Lex Luthor and his league of villains are also becoming aware of the odds stacked against them, with the rules changed in the game, the villains of Gotham, Metropolis and other reaches of the world and galaxy are coming together. Unlikely alliances are being formed on all fronts both hero and enemy.</p><p>Who's side will you fall on in the end?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"This is not the right way. This is not want you want."

That urging voice, innocent and sincere riddling him from the inside. The voice of a man... no not a man, an alien of great, immense power that could rule and ruin all the world speaking to him as if somehow he knew what it was that he truly wanted. Wasn't this the right way? 

A hard decision had to be made ever since Superman was unleashed on Metropolis, flying through the skies and rescuing those who's fate finally found them, ill hearts and burning eyes look to their savior and mark him their nemeses. The villains of this world rose to the battleground that was Superman's awesome power and developed new ways to bring him down, by the sheer strength of those equal to his power who followed him here, those who sought out technology to defeat him and finally the desperate few who threatened the lives of the innocent. The scale of warfare brought upon this place, the devastation and misplaced worship all because of one being who wanted to do good. 

This man possessed immense power and the will to use that power for good when so many in his place would abuse it, Clark cared for a world that would never understand him a world even Bruce would sometimes look upon with disappointment and frustration, and in truth Bruce envied Clark's heart. The Batman held the power over him now and there should have been a swell of victory in his veins but they had only chilled, ice cold under his skin, he felt nothing but those words. 

If Superman was allowed to go on many more would come for him, and many would die in the crossfires of those battles, many against the few, this was the way.

Bruce took the crystallized Kryptonite from Luthor's hands and the young man took a step away from him, the crystal glowed a brilliant green that was almost too hard to look at. Bruce waved it over the motionless body of Superman and the alien began to writhe against the pummeled cement under him. Clark opened his blue eyes to stare at the man who was trying to destroy him, was this the justice that had to be done?

Bruce watched on as Clark's body shook under the glow of green, cries of immense pain ringing in his ears, a hand reached out toward him and the voice rang out in the wreckage  
that had once been a building.

"Please..."

Bruce's grip on the Kryptonite began to weaken for just a moment, destroying the Superman was what had to be done but at what cost? Everything Bruce stood for was about to stain his hands with blood, would he really try to plunge this into his heart? His body was defying him as he felt the blood drain from his face, fear of his own conviction.

"Th...There's another way..."

Clark was losing consciousness and Bruce had to make a decision. After what felt like weeks of planning, training, fighting and trapping it seemed now that all he had believed was no longer in his heart. Alfred's words echoed in his mind even though he hadn't listened the first time "He is not our enemy!" followed by the screams of his rage in the collapsing streets of Metropolis watching Wayne Financial Tower crumbling to dust, taking with it more lives. So many conflicting feelings were divided and fighting inside him to surface.

What alternative was there to ending Superman's life? Would the powerful aliens really stop coming to earth, if they did come and did not find what they were looking for more lives would be lost. Criminal's would keep growing stronger with the technology they'd already built, more natural disasters would arrive, and people would die.

Bruce would close his eyes and every moment he would see this; a hand reaching out to him for mercy and the last breaths of someone he should have saved. And suddenly Jason Todd's face appeared a bloodied hand outstretched to him before the Joker smashed his face with a crowbar and carried his body away into the shadows. 

The Kryptonite flew past Lex's face hitting the damaged wall on the other side, the young man was taken by surprise "What are you doing?" he shouted approaching them but stopping short of a batarang pointed centimeters from his eye.

"Leave us!" Bruce commanded his voice full of authority and rage, an internal anger and disappointment with his own actions. The Batman fell to his knees beside Clark's body, he was still and for a moment Bruce thought it was too late. 

After what felt like an eternity Clark's eyes opened a blue of a clear sky over the peak of day, soft with a forgiveness that Bruce could not understand, he did not deserve it. It was too late for him to be redeemed for all the fighting and pain that he had caused.

"I have failed our cities." he declared as he stared at the cement floor filled with nothing but regret and frustration, he'd lost too much this last few years and now finally he'd lost even himself.

A hand took hold of his wrist and surprised him, Bruce met Clark's eyes and suddenly something changed, hopelessness was replaced as the broken voice hardly above a whisper

"You are a good man, Bruce."

Bruce laid his free hand over Clark's and spoke in his deeper voice "When our enemies come I'll be there to help you fight them." Clark's expression grew brighter and a smile appeared as some of the mobility in his body came back to him but he was still clearly in pain, Bruce had finally accepted him and understood why he couldn't give up this fight. 

Clark used the wrist as leverage to pull himself up and nodded to Bruce "We're on the same side." the older hero allowed a weak smile to appear for only a brief moment before it disappeared. Bruce slipped his hand under Clark's knees and placed the other at his back lifting him up into his arms before carrying him out of the building that began to crumble behind them, the rubble rolling downward to cover the glowing Kryptonite and the rain began to fall from the ever overcast sky of Gotham. 

And so it was that the death of Superman was not the solution to keeping the world safe rather it was not letting him fight alone against power equal or succeeding his own. More would come to see this as the way and fight alongside each other so neither had to stand alone. 

A new age was dawning over the sister cities, a dawn of what was right and fair, a dawn of justice.


	2. Knightmare Batman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce's perspective during the Superman-Zod fight

“Bruce the Watchtower is coming down! A projectile has split it into pieces it’s flying toward the atmosphere now!”

Bruce hoisted the girl up into his arms his heart pounding heavy in his chest, fear. He was very much afraid of this devastation and how powerless he was to stop it. “Alfred call Luthor get the fallout shelters open! We need to get these people out of the way!” Bruce’s feet were slipping on the concrete rubble, he leaned forward instinctively to balance out the weight and managed to get the girl to the street. “Head down here see that tunnel down there where all the cars are?”

The girl nodded she was surprisingly responsive, Bruce envied her bravery.

It was distant cries that caught his attention, voices buried under the rebars calling out for help. Bruce closed his eyes for only a brief second to be sure this wasn’t just a nightmare but when he opened them again the skyline was still shrouded in powdered cement and smoke. He could feel the noise drowning out, the sirens, half destroyed buildings colliding, cries. Fury and fear was clouding his vision.

And just for a second he lost control and hadn’t noticed the girl slip away, but she wasn’t running toward the tunnel. Instead the girl was back where they had just been and she was trying to lift small piece of cement with all her strength. Bruce immediately followed her lead, scrambling back over the rubble to where she was digging “There’s someone under here!” she exclaimed with her small voice.

Bruce nodded to her pulling up any piece he could lift “Is anybody down here?” he called maneuvering his body into the small open space under the protruding metal beams.

A few voices rang out under the destruction from different directions “Hold on I’ll get you all out of here just keep talking!” screams rang out from behind him and Bruce turned just in time to see the Superman pummeled into the side of a sky-scrapper next-door to the destroyed ruin of Wayne Tower by General Zod. 

Zod took off into the sky and Superman after him having not seen the damage they had done to the building that was now beginning to fall in their direction. Bruce’s reflexes finally came to him and he reached out to grab the girl and pull her in under the rubble “Everyone hold on!” his voice was desperate as he covered the girl closing his eyes a vain hope that they would survive. 

There was a moment of silence waiting in anticipation of the inevitable collision it felt like the longest few seconds Bruce had ever experienced but when it hit the impact was devastating. Brutal screams of pain, sobbing cries and silence in nothing but darkness and powdered cement for air to breathe. Bruce felt dizzy like maybe something had struck him in the collision and he tried to bring his hand to his forehead but found that it was caught between metal and glass. He was still for a minute maybe longer time was hard to keep, but he will remember that sound a piercing blood curdling scream that echoed out on the surface it was the Superman. Was he dying? Was Metropolis destroyed out there? 

Bruce tried desperately to move but could feel the glass cut into his arm and stopped, the metal beam below had his ankle in a vice and his breath was coming short, he couldn’t see anything. “Is anyone still alive in here!?” he called out hoping for any reply any sound would do. But nothing came and suddenly Bruce wondered if he was the only one alive down here, all of this had happened so fast and now maybe even his life was coming to its end.

Hours passed, more than one he could be sure of it, the fearless vigilante of Gotham broken and powerless, buried under the foot of the alien supermen. Everything he had fought for it was just going to end here. He was a dead man. The brave little girl nowhere to be found among the rubble obstructing most of his view. She was a hero. 

All those voices. All those people.

The Batman’s heart was torn apart inside, heaving in clouded air desperately trying to lift the cement that continued to cascade down over his face. All the will had left him, there was nothing in him anymore. 

“Master...” came a digital disembodied voice so very faint

Bruce’s eyes searched every crevice and soon after he realized who owned that voice

“Alfred!”

There was a silence more deafening than the one since the bank had crashed on top of them. 

“Master... Wayne.”

Bruce scrambled around the openings with his free hand, he froze when his fingers brushed against hair. He turned his head as far as he could, straining to see with only small cracks in the ceiling of rubble overhead letting in tiny beams of light. His forefinger brought into the light, a perfect circle of red staining his skin. The golden strands of hair sprawled out beside his cell phone glowing a dull blue.

Bruce rested his forehead against the cement protrusion clenching his eyes shut, a small pained whine escaped him, and a long silence followed.

 

Reaching for the phone, voice weak and broken he pleaded

 

“Alfred. Please help us.”

 

Bruce woke abruptly in a cold sweat, eyes wide with terror. This nightmare had haunted him since that day. All those feelings as real as that very moment, the fear, pain and anger.

He could never forget them. As long as he lived.


	3. Dawn of the Injustice League

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of Dawn of Justice, Lex Luthor is preparing for round two with an entirely new strategy.  
> While Batman and Superman are recovering from their battle, forming new acquaintances with future members of the Justice League, Lex is devising his own team.

Bright floodlights blinded an unlikely audience gathered against their better judgment in this pitiful underground sewer network not that the putrid smell penetrated this area of the system, its pipes protruded from every wall and the sound of water trickling like rain echoed through the acoustic space. Suspicious eyes shifted from one onlooker to the next apprehensively awaiting the first move, all of them holding their various weapons close to them, some weapons more overtly obvious than others of course. The uneasy atmosphere was disturbed by their summoner and host Lex Luthor who strode up to the makeshift meeting table, his figure outlined by the floodlights and all hands scrambled to the trigger or hilt of their weapons ready for anything Luthor had prepared for them. His voice trailed into the space as he began his opening address to this collective league of injustice.

“The atomic bomb was the weapon that effectively brought an end to world war two a weapon whose destruction ruled with fear over most of the 20th and even 21st century. Trust among us all was fractured and arms were taken up against each other in secret. Technology was the worlds greatest enemy and for a time we feared only ourselves and the military power that we could wield against one another. But I tell you now from a time that has known a new weapon, something not of our own hands or minds an uncontrollable power so brilliant in its being that we’d even go so far to call it one of us, welcome in our homes and hearts and allow it to be free to use its own devastating power whenever it chooses. An idol not of literature, legend or myth but real flesh and blood, never has the world been so consumed with faith and appreciation as far as worship. A world conquered by a single being and divided by its existence. But unlike those before us we should not hoard our own defenses and act individually, together we may come to defeat this weapon. They’d all like to believe the Superman and his allies to be incorruptible and innocent but in truth we’d all be glad someday if someone came and took them away from us, such a power shouldn’t exist in our corner of the galaxy. We are not ready nor is it looking like we’ll ever be. A man like me could take them off our hands and remove these idols from the clutches of the desperate hands clinging to it with hope. We should not depend on anything to rescue us from fate, to carry the weight of our struggles and fight our battles for us. No. We should restore order. Men like me will face the grief stricken world in their absence but behind all of their cries of conviction is relief!”

Lex slammed his palms against the meeting table to emphasize his point, not startling a single member of his audience which pleased him. They gave only their approval through their eyes, agreement partnered with acknowledgment of his genius no doubt.

“The world as I see it is a machine, the machine thrives on duality, day and night, happy and sad, good and evil. The world needs those who do not have its best interests at heart just as much as those who do. I am proving a theory by having you all here tonight that I alone am not the only concerned citizen in this city or rather cities. I propose to you that the machine has a spanner wedged between its most vital pieces; fear and control. Without villainy what are we to fear? Accidents maybe? and what if we are rescued from that also? Can we all be glad to have such an involved and present savior or should we stop expecting his charity and altruism and fend for our own selves has that not been our way since we first made our mark on this planet? Control is fueled by power, without this power in the hands of the many it can corrupt and consume all. The Superman and his allies are a threat to our world. I believe we should not put faith in a any who could destroy us all if he had the mind to. The question is when. When will we destroy them first.”

Luthor was met with agreement from the gathering, a promising start for everyone to be one the same page now it was just a matter of convincing them to work together.

Finally an interjection arose from the audience a sardonic and patronizing tone partnered with emphatic hand gestures in illustration of his words “We thought that maybe you’d have managed to put an end to the Superman already Luthor. It seems you thought having the Batman fight your battles for you was the way to go. I hardly believe you’re the man for this job.”

Luthor closed his eyes repressing the urge to retaliate and readjusted his cuff links “Tough crowd.” He leaned in bracing his hands either side of the table before continuing “I regret having not killed two birds with one stone. But now I have all of you here, we can consolidate our strength.”

“You say Superman is the real threat but what about all the others like him?”

Luthor looked to the end of the table and could only see a bright yellow gleam and contrasting vibrant purple that glowed against the floodlight. “You are quite right in that respect they all need to go. The issue is getting the world to agree with us.”

“Doomsday was an effective weapon what became of him?” a heavy South American accent drowned out all the other murmurings, a towering giant of a man with a unmissable tank strapped to his back.

Luthor shook his head “Unfortunately Doomsday is unavailable but I have been assured that if our experiment proves successful he will provide as an asset in the future.”

“What about the Kryptonite?” This time a distorted voice came from beside him and Lex watched the man who was also dressed in yellow all the rage these days perhaps, his figure seemed to be vibrating so much that the area around him blurred, making it hard to see or hear him properly. 

Lex absentmindedly ran his hand over his bald head remembering how the exposure to that element had brought him more harm than the Superman. “I was not able to secure the Kryptonite, having only barely escaped with my life and freedom. Wayne enterprises swooped in on the property reconstruction for good publicity no doubt before my shadow organizations could take the project and secure me the Kryptonite.”

The patronizing voice returned again an outstretched green clad finger adjusting the glasses on the bridge of his nose as he snapped at their host “Then what is it you brought us here for, have you any proposals?”

Luthor’s eyes expressed a nefariousness that accompanied a unsettling smirk. 

“As a matter of fact I do have one.”

Lex pushed off from the meeting table and made his way back through the glare of the floodlights gesturing for his audience to follow him all of whom were still very reluctant. But after having past the beams of light the scene before them was shrouded in darkness for just a moment before a structure began to appear in the shadows a distant tall and complex building embedded into the very foundations of the sewer system. Made entirely of metal and glass it seemed with beams of metal jutting in and around every level of the structure with tall glass windows revealing a furnished space the colors of cool white, gray and black. Sturdy but hastily brought together on short notice it served the purpose that Luthor had in mind for it. A place of operations out of sight out of mind.

“I understand we are all from various backgrounds and tactics but we all share a common goal. I am not asking that you abandon your ever... Effective, elaborate ways but merely allow me a chance to show you something greater. I propose that just as our enemies are organizing together in a team known only as the ‘Justice League’...” he cringed at that title leading his followers up a winding set of stairs “...We should also join ranks, and in one all very unexpected manner we attack all at once from every angle, all of us.” Luthor stopped at the top of the stairs that opened into a board room although much more professional in appearance compared to the makeshift one down stairs.

The green gloved man gave a short laugh “You should have made your pitch to us in here Luthor.” implying that it may have made them more inclined to be persuaded.

Luthor turned to face them abruptly “I used that setting because it’s what you’re all used to no? Second best, out in the open. I had to make the pitch in a environment you’d understand. Don’t you see Mr Nygma that is what all of our scheming plans have been so far? Not up to scratch. That is going to change. In fact it already has.”

“You want to recruit everyone for this fight?” Bane walked past Luthor into the room anxious to get past pleasantries and petty discussions.

“I intend to acquire everyone.”

Bane encircled him “It’s Penguin you’d be wanting. But he cannot be trusted, all resourceful men are the same in that respect.”

Scarecrow spoke up for the first time since arriving to the sewers that he and many other villains were already rather familiar with “There are some of us that are hard to reach. In fact I know one that won’t agree to your terms and conditions Luthor.” the room fell silent as all knew well who it was he was speaking of.

“Dr Crane I am well aware of The Jokers absence these last few years. But I believe even men such as him have access points and before long I will entice him with something he cannot resist.”

“And what would that be?” Sinestro asked leaning over the back of a black leather chair.

“The chance to take out the Batman with a bang.” The villains smiled at that it was sure to convince a mind as twisted as the Joker. “Better yet I have some of him already.” There was a look of confusion in his audience and Lex sighed turning to a set of metal doors behind him and pulled them open to reveal a familiar face. The audience of villains were surprised to see the face so close to the glass on the other side staring at them with a cool emotionless eyes under disheveled green hair that instilled fear in even the more powerful of them.

Lex scolded leaning against the glass that separated them.

“Now now Mr Todd do play nice with our guests.”


	4. Team of Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had now been a few months after the fight with Doomsday, the cities and its heroes in repair. While villains had gone to ground or rather underground, two respective heroes reconcile their differences. Embracing a new responsibility as a unit in opposition to a vastly growing number of adversaries.

The copper sphere of the daily planet stood proud and idle above the city skyline of Metropolis like watchful eyes, a guardian of truth among the corporate world that towered over another entire life beneath it. An underworld of people who lived out their lives with their heads down in the shadow of wealth and fortune, power and politics. What had such a people have to fight for? 

The word 'fight' was a politicians word for the will of power, thrust upon men who carried out the fighting, meaninglessly dying draped in flags hanging in the parlor of a rich mans home. These people after every misfortune that has befallen them as a collective and as individuals have persevered. Evil will always finds one of us, someone who is scared, alone, angry or corrupt and it will always turn man against itself. Now as the greatest monster this world has seen lay dead among the carnage of the Gotham harbor, people were emerging from their homes back into the streets, liberated from fear. Clark stood with his arms crossed looking out from his window down on this city of Metropolis some of the image was blurred by the rain pattering against the glass, he was consumed in thought. His attention was finally broken by the dark knight who true to his name was standing with the shadows wearing an expression of discontent as he often did. 

"I would ask how you got in here."

Bruce was silent in response but the question needn't be answered in the first place. 

“This creature... Doomsday. He will come back?” Bruce's voice was low even without his armor on 

Clark unfolded his arms and turned to face him, looking over his face he could see tired eyes. Bruce was a man whose life is lived up in the corporate world but whose heart is down in the gutter with the people from the very backstreets to the city center of Gotham.

“He will, and he will be stronger than before.”

Bruce’s eyes fell as the hope left him and the tiredness that had pursued him these recent years resurfaced. How can anyone fight such a thing again?

“Bruce.” Clark urged hardly above a whisper, only for them to hear, he continued “I know it will be hard, we can rest for a moment before Doomsday comes again.”

Bruce closed his eyes and began to shake his head, pinching the bridge of his nose “We’re supposed to keep doing this forever?”

Clark let a sigh escape him offering a sad smile to the Batman who was looking to him now with a questioning purpose, some hope to look forward to, an end to achieve.  
“Bruce. This is what evil does, like all the other villains we have ever faced so many return a new, so we must then again bring justice to those they wrong. What matters is not how long between those evils that we get to have peace but that we fight it every time it appears.”

Like a weight had been lifted from the Batman’s shoulders he was visibly relieved even stepping into the moonlight so Clark could see him clearly.

“So many people have died, and yet we have to go on even if we know its coming back.”

Clark nodded in affirmation “That’s right, and when they come back I’ll stand with you to fight them again for as long as I’m able and so will a great many others if you let them.”  
Bruce’s gruff voice filled the room “Diana will be back in Gotham soon, we should find a way to keep in contact with each other.”

Bruce was slowly edging closer to Clark with each distracted movement such as checking his digital watch and adjusting his tie.

“I believe shining a bat-signal out my window would be a bit too overt?”

Bruce spared a smirk “No harm in keeping one around.”

They were now face to face in the moonlit space that was Clark’s apartment. The Superman let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding “I did break the last one didn’t I?”

Bruce nodded 

“Sorry about that.”

There was a short silence before Clark noticed the Batman memorizing the details of his face, eyes drawn to his lips every so often.  
“I usually work alone, but if you think this Justice League as they’re calling it down at your paper is going to work than I won’t argue. After all when that creature comes back we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

Clark sighed “We can make this work. All of us.”

“Have you found some more people to join us then?”

“A few.”

Bruce moved away from him, leaving Clark with a sudden feeling of loss “Call me when you need me. For anything Clark.” he placed a business card on the end table beside the door. Sparing one last look to the Superman before disappearing into the night once more.


	5. BatCave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dark Knight grows suspicious of the criminal radio silence in Gotham, discovering in his absence to fight Superman he may have lost track of the usual suspects.

Droplets of rushing water cascaded down from the ceiling of the rock outcrop forming a wall like shimmering glass. The sound of the falls echoed in the hollow of the cave, the distorted image of moonlight dancing on the waters surface illuminating the thin stretch of road that disappeared into the falls, splashes pattering against the asphalt before flickering away into fine spray showering the road ahead. Beam after beam held up the narrow road fit to hold only one vehicle in particular, either side with no barricades, the edges plummeting down into black pools gleaming with the reflection of artificial light. The road arrived at an open parking space where a large tarp lay, hiding a masterpiece only seen under the cover of darkness. The industrial building was embedded into the cave wall, protruding from it only with spacious glass encased rooms, empty of any personal value. The Batman called this place base of operations, nothing more, nothing less.

His large dark figure was outlined only by the glow of the bat-computer, a complex arrangement of state of the art technology and intelligence. This was by no means suggesting it was sentient, Bruce would never trust such technology, not that he trusted anything usually. Alfred was the only sentience this device needed. Each screen-top was displayed individually, each containing vital information; crime photos, police reports, informants intel, engineering reports from Lucius. One of the screens had an open tab of the Daily Planet, Clark Kent’s publishing history, Bruce minimized that screen he needed to stay focused on the task at hand.

All around the computer were hastily cut out photos and headlines of every major and minor villain the Batman had fought over his time under the cowl. Each strand of red string tied from one pin to another, one headline sat alone from the chaos of red webs, unconnected to any evidence and removed from all lines of inquiry.

Bruce’s eyes drifted to that headline every once in a while when he was lost in thought or just not particularly busy with Gotham’s criminal underworld. Sometimes he would look at it and wonder...

 

'Joker Disappears Without Trace! Joker Dead?'

 

“Sir, if I might point out you’ve been more distracted as of late.”

Bruce looked up from the grapple gun lying on top the desk his glove clad fingers idle over the keys, the dense but malleable leather of his armor bound wrists leaned against the edge of the desk with the raised piping and convex metal knuckles reflecting the images from the computer screen. His brown eyes were vacant and yet present enough to be considered weary. The dusted stubble that had started recently was now becoming more pronounced, Alfred had worked for young Master Wayne for a long time, now not so young. The strategically minded butler had learned a thing or two from being both eyes and ears for the worlds greatest detective. He would conclude that given the still and undisturbed surface of Gotham’s criminal underground has been silent as the grave, Bruce was perhaps feeling both uninformed and out of practice. The Batman hated the lingering unsettling silence, criminals always talk even when they haven’t tongues to speak. Why was everyone out there so quiet? Alfred agreed with such a question, but waiting here in the Bat-cave was not going to stir things up out there. 

“We should go over the last sightings of each and every one of them. I want to know when they all went to ground. I want to know where they are.” Bruce’s voice was firm and tense, his attention now returning to the screen bearing the informants intel, it was looking thin in all honesty.

Alfred wanted to suggest a more forward course of action, say maybe interrogation. Investigation was not only made of intel gathering. Bruce needed to get out there and start asking around, turn over some stones. 

“Sir, I should suggest you try locating some henchmen yourself? Maybe these criminals have left Gotham for a time.”  
Bruce stood up from the computer turning to his butler and friend “All at the same time?” his voice was slightly argumentative.

“Bane is known to travel to and from Gotham all the time, his roots are in South America of course. Dr Crane I believe is always taken to working with various criminal elements which would find him in other cities. Waylon, Harleen and many others are currently serving time at the Belle Reve Facility. But from all of our city's collective criminal role call only one is truly ever present, immovable in fact.”

“The Penguin.”


	6. Ferryman's Toll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luthor and his crew arrive in Gotham, greeted by the unofficial mayor.

“All aboard eight thirty-five crossing to Gotham City's temporary Harbor site.”

The Ferryman ushered on the last of the peak hour passengers tipping the brim of his hat to a particularly good looking gentleman who caught his eye. Everyday back and forward from Gotham to Metropolis and vice versa. It wasn’t his day today, he could tell by the dark , tall figure casting a shadow way over his head. Just another day in between these damn crazy cities.

“I do hope there is room for a few more my good man.”

The Ferryman turned slowly to come face to face with a young short bald man who’s piercing eyes bore into him with a sadistic smirk playing at his lips. Behind him was a gang of colorful misfits, infamous bad guys from here and across the way. 

The ferry was speeding at its full power from the Metropolis harbor out onto the bay, leaving the jewel city, whose sky was clear and its streets clean. Trading in civilization for the industrial, crime riddled, corrupt mess that was Gotham. Skies of smoke, streets of blood stained money. She’s a beauty to behold, for the criminal without standards that is. Lex leaned against the barrier looking over to where his crew were blending in effortlessly with the local wildlife. Bane a giant South American, who could crush a man with his bare hands but still a firm thinker in his own respect, seated in-between two commuters in fear for their lives. Edward Nygma had his green fingers wrapped around a newspaper, attempting to be incognito more likely engrossed in the puzzle section. Sinestro was flying along side the ferry having the shred of dignity to take the less embarrassing arrival, Reverse Flash had run ahead of course. Lex looked up to the top deck where Dr Crane was steering and called out

“We needn’t draw any...” He looked to his peers “...unnecessary attention, do slow down Dr Crane.”

A voice appeared from beside him “Oh please don’t Scareyspice! Fast is fun.”

Lex laughed admiring Jason’s adaption of Joker’s personality no doubt injected into him by his former enemy. It was like Joker had a son, deadbeat dad sadly. Jason was sitting on the barrier, hanging himself over board strangely trying to reach the waves with his fingers as they brushed up against the ferry. One minute he was like this; passive, the next he was throwing someone over board.

“Jason why are you throwing people overboard?”

The incredulous look thrown at Lex was like that of a scolded teenager “Exercise is an important part of everyday activity, he’ll thank me later.” his hands dancing in the air around him in illustration of what vaguely looked to be a swimming motion.

Jason leaned back until he was hanging upside down on the outside of the barrier “Unless that big headed black fish doesn’t eat him.” he pointed at the supposed fish before laughing to himself.

The ferry arrived at the docks surprisingly still in one piece and with most of it’s passengers. Reverse Flash waiting impatiently on a bench his yellow clad legs fidgeting in agitation, faster than the eye could see. He wasn’t the only one waiting for them.

“Ah! Mr Cobblepot I have been expecting to see you.”

The Penguin had buried the razor tip of his umbrella into the wood beside him, his expression was seemingly unimpressed. Uncharacteristically Oswald was unaccompanied but that made no matter, Luthor knew that he and his group were in the sights of keen shots stationed nearby. 

The crew disembarked after the rush of commuters ran for their lives, Lex lead them out onto the docks to meet with the Penguin.

“So many familiar faces, tell me what brings you all back to this side of the bay?”

Lex smiled politely “We have buisness.”

Oswald scoffed, removing his razor edge from the wood of the dock pointing it in his direction “Wasn’t talkin’ to you!”

“Ooooooo!” Jason nudged Lex in the shoulder, his voice changing into a deep dangerous tone “Doesn’t like you much.” 

“We’re both businessmen Mr Cobblepot I’m sure we can come to an understanding.” Lex reasoned, open palms in the air

“You don’t seem to keep up with yourself Luthor, see you blow my bloody harbor to pieces with your damn science experiment! You expect me to put that behind us an do business.” Oswald let out a short laugh.

“I can compensate you for your losses.”

“Nah! See it ain’t money that it’s all about, my merchandise it moves to an from Metro, I got clients I need to provide my good services to, but when I got no harbor to move my product I got no clients.”

Luthor ran his forefinger over his eyebrow in frustration “What is it you want Mr Cobblepot?”

“You make me a clean deal, I supply whatever you got my good mates doin’ here and I get a cut of whatever it is your doin’ in my city. I wanna know what you’re up to so I can move my stuff so it don’t end up going boom.”

Luthor looked to his companions each of who seemed unfazed by the offer, all except Jason who shook his head. Despite the lunatics protest Lex decided to except the deal on their behalf.

“I do believe it’ll be a pleasure working with you Penguin.”

Oswald let out a gruff laugh spinning his umbrella in circles as he made his way back to his car “I’ll have it all ready by tonight.”

Luthor called after him “But how do you know what they need?”

“It’s my job to know.”

Oswald shut the car door with a thud letting out a breath he’d been holding in, patting his forehead with a cloth before dialing a number on his phone, eyes fixed on the villains headed Gotham’s way.

His voice low and uneven

“I did what you asked. I’m in.”


	7. They're Heeeeere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightwing is investigating the Injustice League intel from the Penguin, not all goes according to plan.

Two electrified batons slid down from gloved hands, they spun around in the air swiftly but without immediate purpose. Waiting had grown tiresome an hour ago. Dick Grayson, now Nightwing holstered his batons once more this time trying to avoid his habit of testing them out for practice. Dick was no student anymore, he had to have control of his own weapons, remove himself emotionally from the issues at hand and impossibly have patience. He could hear Bruce’s nagging voice in his ears, the deep scolding tone he used when he was unimpressed, which was most of the time. Remain calm no matter the situation. Dick shook his head upon remembering the Batman’s recent outburst, that nearly got him killed. Bruce was one to point fingers. The fledgling vigilante finally turned his divided attention back to the assignment he’d so generously volunteered to help with, not that Bruce would have accepted his offer without his intervening and convincing Alfred to veto the matter. The intel was clear, Lex Luthor arrived on a ferry this morning with various criminals all with their ugly mugs down at the GCPD, CCPD and maybe some who didn’t. Penguin, a long time informant to the Dark Knight, has agreed to supply them with their arms and tools. The Penguin swears that Luthor’s gang isn’t going to attack tonight but he knows that Wayne Tower is a target for some small time heist. Bruce believes Lex is looking for the Gotham Harbor redevelopment project information, he’s going after for the Kryptonite. If Lex so much as catches a scent of bat, he’ll spook.

Bruce sat hunched over the keyboard of the bat-computer, his elbow propped up on the desk with his jaw resting against the palm of his leather clad hand. Brown eyes barely focusing on the surveillance videos. 

“Eye spy?” 

Bruce buried his face in the crook of his elbow speaking into the headset his voiced laced with exhaustion “No.”

“Never have I ever.”

Bruce sighed audibly into the headset “No.”

“Thumb war?”

Bruce wasn’t going to even dignify that with an answer, his attention however was caught by a noticeable difference in the flow of the waterfall that encased the cave from the outside world. The Batman reached for his grapple gun beside the keyboard, his free hand reaching to grasp a batarang from his utility belt. No one knew where this place was, and Alfred had gone to bed a while ago. Turning toward the suspicions lack of noise he raised the razor sharp batarang ready to throw.

“Clark!”

Bruce let out a long breath moving toward the familiar figure of the Superman who had found his way here somehow. The batarang hadn’t left his firm grasp however, their perilous fights fresh in his mind.

“Bruce. I have some information.” 

Clark always radiated with the helpful, good-will that Bruce in turn mistrusted profusely. But exceptions had to be made once in a while. He was sure it was the genuine smile. Or maybe the eyes, devoid of any ulterior motives. He was pleasant looking, some might say handsome, not that Bruce was looking for romantic entanglements. He couldn’t keep his mind on the mission as it was.

Clark approached him with water from the ice cold waterfall trickling down the length of his Kryptonian suit, dripping from the strands of his hair onto the cement floor. It had amused him that the Superman was shorter, a childish amusement. Bruce could see this wasn’t a social call.

“Reports came in early this morning of a disturbance at the Metropolis harbor, I was chasing it up all day when I found a witness, he said that the ferry was commandeered by Lex Luthor and a group of Gotham’s most wanted.”

Bruce conveyed his lack of surprise with his expressionless eyes

“You knew.”

“I have a man staking out their operations, another on the inside.”

Clark bit his bottom lip to stop himself from making a nagging response however it came out just the same “Bruce you should have told me that they were in Gotham, we’re supposed to be a working together.”

 

“Didn’t know you were married?”

 

Bruce tapped the headpiece “Quiet Nightwing, radio silence.”

Clark crossed his arms “I just want to help Bruce. I know you don’t trust me, you don’t have to.”

“You’re right. I’ll keep you in the loop Clark, but where on my side of the bay now. So you do what I tell you.”

“Understood.”

Bruce made his way back to the bat-computer with the Superman in tow, it was strange to have him in the batcave. He wasn’t used to having anyone in here but Alfred, Clark looked to be making himself at home already. Steady finger tips smoothing over the headlines that painted the walls, his long red cape swayed as he moved around the space, blue eyes fixated on the articles. 

Dick’s impatient voice finally broke the radio silence “I’m bored here, don’t think their coming.”

Bruce began circulating through the cameras “They’ll be there.” internally he wondered if Penguin was throwing them off, or maybe Luthor told Cobblepot about this heist as a decoy and a test.

“Who’s that?” Clark was beside him now which made the Batman uneasy, no one could sneak up on him like that.

“Nightwing. He assists me occasionally.”

 

“Are you introducing me to someone Bruce?”

 

Bruce ignored him turning to face Clark who was now leaning against his chair eyeing the surveillance footage on the screen. Bruce caught himself using the distraction to admire the figure of his new ally, how did he get into that suit? How did he get out of it?

“That’s a nice name, wish I could have gotten something like that.”

Bruce smirked “Superman suits you well enough.” Clark looked down at him now, catching his eye he could tell the Batman was taking a shot at him, with a mischievous look.

“I’m sure it took everyone long enough to think of one for you.” The Superman reached over to the desk and ran his fingers over the points of the ears on top of the cowl. 

Bruce moved to pick up the cowl brushing his hand against Clark’s accidentally “I made my symbol to instill fear. You made yours to instill hope. There is a difference between them.” 

Clark protested sincerely “Your symbol means hope to many people Bruce, myself included.” 

Bruce froze he was never usually cornered with kindness like this, no shadow to disappear into, he opened his mouth but was cut short by the headset.

 

“Someones just arrived.”

 

Clark scanned over the footage but no one was there yet, Bruce tapped the headset “Who can you see?”

“Bruce don’t come down here! Luthor can’t know you’re onto him.”

“Who do you see?”

 

Dick’s voice was erratic “It can’t be.”

 

“Dick! Who do you see?”

The line went to static and Bruce stood up from the computer jogging over to the tarp “Stay here Clark.” He pulled the fabric off to reveal the repaired Batmobile in all it’s glory, his heart in his chest.

“Bruce be careful!” Clark pleaded handing the cowl to the Batman who took a second to meet his concerned eyes before he jumped into the drivers seat, the engines roared to life and he took off, disappearing into the waterfall.

Clark wasn’t going to stay here and wait for him.

 

Dick couldn’t believe his eyes, he remembered the day the Joker had gone missing and he remembered it painfully well. He and Bruce had never been the same. The clown prince had all but murdered Jason Todd before their very eyes before dragging his lifeless body into the shadows. The Robin suit stood as a tormenting reminder of their failure, the risk of what it is they try to do out here. They could not protect everyone. And they lost someone important. The mystery of where the Joker had been all these years remained unanswered despite rigorous efforts to track him down. And now here was his very spitting image although strangely unfamiliar, it must be him. Dick would make him answer for Jason’s death. 

He shot a grapple hook over to the nearest balcony, flying through the air seemingly unnoticed by the Joker who was preoccupied with getting through the front door of the building. Dick looked over the barrier of the balcony, grasping at the pole with his hand to steady himself, evening out his breath. Nervousness and anger were fighting for control inside him. He couldn’t leave, not after everything that monster put Gotham through.

Dick grappled up the center of the stairwell to the executive offices judging by his sensors that’s where his opponent was headed and surprisingly he hadn’t set off any alarms. Subtlety and stealth were never something the Joker ever bothered with. Something was wrong.

The executive offices were empty of any staff, all lights were off and not a sound could be heard. Dick sat perched on top a bookcase in a corner position out of the line of sight. In the distance a single pin drop sound caught his attention and he jumped down with a silent thud. The Joker was flipping through the files in the project records cabinet, Lex sent the Joker to do this part of the job?

Dick was able to sneak up on him but when he got close enough to strike a familiar voice greeted him, catching him off guard

“Hello Dick, long time no see.” The words were elongated and dangerous in their tone, the Joker turned around to face him, wide blue eyes and that face covered in the make-up signatory to the clown prince. But this was not him, this was the boy that he murdered in cold blood, bludgeoned to death with a crowbar, years ago. 

“Jason?” The vigilante’s voice was hardly above a whisper, struck with shock

“What? No nice to see you. Rude. It is good to see you I must admit, not who I was expecting though, to be terribly honest with you.”

“What happened to you?”

Jason’s murderously playful expression faded into just plain murder “If I gave you three tries to guess, I doubt it would come to you.” the Joker’s Robin placed a gun to the underside of his jaw with lightening fast movement.

Dick stared unblinkingly at the kid who had grown up in his footsteps, running through Wayne Manor with the Robin cape tied around his neck pretending to be a hero. The kid who wanted to be just like him, where had it all gone wrong? Joker was a poison not a man, not a symbol. The clown prince infected people, made them into something they’re not Harleen being a principle example. Believing Jason was dead was a horror that he had come to understand but this, this was painful to watch Turning someone you loved into a shell of a man, with nothing but the will of a monster in his veins.

“Are you going to shoot me Jason?”

There was hesitation in his eyes for only a second but it was enough to convince the Nightwing that his friend was not entirely dead inside that mind. Jason moved away from him toward the tall glass windows that surrounded the office level, that was when the first tremor like shudder ran through the building.

The ground shook but it was not like the shifting of an earthquake that moves from side to side this was an impact, a large impact. Dick raced to the window side next to Jason only in time to see a massive bat-like creature half built of mechanical parts, the other half demented monstrous features. Its red goggled eyes narrowed in on them. The demon crashed through the glass, its talons engulfing Jason’s upper body tearing him out of the building away from the vigilante. The villain pulled out a flip knife from his hidden sheath thrusting it up into the presumable leg of the creature and consequently it dropped him.

Jason slipped out of the monsters grasp falling to his death, a brilliant plan.

“Jason!” Dick exclaimed his heart in his chest, the veteran robin made for the windows edge to see Jason’s falling figure. Muttering to himself Dick made short work of a run up before plummeting out of the sky-scrappers window after him. Bruce would have something to say about this.

The wind was pelting against his mask he’d never dropped from such a distance, he was indeed a flying Grayson today, arms to his sides accelerating his dive, Jason was within his grasp now he stretched out his hands to catch him with the ground growing ever closer. Finally he grabbed hold of the lithe frame, arm wrapped firmly around Jason’s waist in a vice. Dick spun Jason’s body to face him when he shot the grappling gun into the air, the hook flew through the window beside them catching on a beam. The two robins swung sideways to crash into the window consequently on the level below the grapple hook. 

Amid the broken shards of glass and heavy breaths Dick finally found his bearings surprised to find himself positioned on top of Jason who was laughing to himself no doubt amused by the whole situation. Jason’s leather clad hands began a slow clap applauding the heroics of his rescuer, the dull thuds filled the empty office room. Jason hissed when Dick seized his wrists pining them above his head, having him flush against his own armor clad outfit was increasingly unsettling. 

“What the hell was that thing?!”

His voice was condemning and accusatory, tone meeting his eyes that were fixed on the elusive blue eyes that darted everywhere else avoiding contact. Dick would never have let him hit the ground, Jason knew that ,but even as Dick stared into the crazed eyes of his dark counterpart he could only see what the Joker had done to him. Scars where he’d been beaten and cut up, the tattoos that the Joker had etched into his skin.

“Don’t look at me Grayson! I'm not the one who conspires with bats.” Jason snapped defensively before pulling his wrists free of the grip, using his knee to push the larger man off of him.

“You’re coming with me!” Dick declared rising to his feet at the same time

Jason began to laugh moving toward the window now looking back to Dick over his shoulder

“Looks like you got more to deal with than little old me.”

Jason stepped out of the broken window frame, Dick scrambled to catch him mid fall but noticed that they were on the second floor of the building just above the ground, Jason had landed safely into Banes waiting arms. Wisping noises suddenly caught his attention, silenced gunfire, small bullets flying at his face. He instinctively moved back from the window overwhelmed by how close to death he had come tonight. Dick waited a moment before returning to the open space where the window used to be, wind blowing through and onto his mask covered face. The demon was flying though the air but it wasn’t alone.

Something was circling like an oncoming hurricane, a storm filled with what looked like a murder of crows, 

No a murder of Parademons.


	8. Justice League First In Best Dressed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightwing lies to the Batman about Jason Todd's fate, more pressing matters are at hand as the swarm of Parademon's close in on Gotham City. Bruce and Clark are doing their best to keep the danger contained over the bay, but they cannot do it alone.

The Batmobile drifted through the city streets of Gotham city, tearing through the empty road abandoned at this time, close to the very early hours of the morning. As the tower came into sight so did the visible damage, Bruce ejected himself from the drivers seat, his wide batwings catching the full gust of the wind propelling him upward, gliding to the single life sign reading on his internal optic scanner. The Batman landed on the second floor searching erratically for Nightwing whom he found struggling with the grapple gun in an attempt to reset the grapple hook. 

“What happened?”

Dick Grayson looked up from his perilous task, using his free hand to point to something outside the opening in the glass window, Bruce turned around to be stunned by the oncoming storm of flying creatures swirling through the air over Gotham’s skyline. Something he hadn’t noticed on his way past.

He immediately tapped the headset, opening the inbuilt quick access terminal in the arm of his suit, he adjusted it’s setting to contact the Batcave.

“Superman are you still there?”

There was no answer.

“Superman.”

“I’m affraid the Superman is not in the Batcave Master Wayne, I am concerned as to rather why you expect to find him here?”

“Alfred I need you to locate Superman and Diana there is a hoard of alien creatures flying above Gotham, we need to know what they are and what they want.”

A beep interrupted his ongoing communication and Bruce altered the span of his connection

The relieving sound of Clark's voice came through the device “I’m here Bruce, picked up one of your headsets”

Bruce smirked “I believe that’s called stealing.”

“I’ll return it. I assume you’re seeing what I’m seeing?”

Dick was at his side now answering for him with a slightly impatient tone “If by that you mean the flying demon things then yes we’re all on the same page.”

“Nightwing I presume?”

Dick looked to Batman’s headset with confusion “Have we met?”

The Batman interrupted them “We have to do something about those creatures, Superman get a closer look at them but keep a safe distance, Nightwing and I will get as close as we can and send visual intel back to Alfred to analyze.”

Bruce shot the batclaw grapple hook through the opening in the window to the building opposite Wayne Tower where Nightwing had been stationed. Dick followed suit both vigilantes flying up the length of the old stone building, swiftly leaping up over the ledge with the momentum. The Parademon whirlwind was moving toward the city, odd ones straying from the larger mass but returning after a time. With the fight with Doomsday and Luthor having only been a short time ago he was beginning to feel as if these cities were a beacon of devastation. 

“What happened back there Dick?”

The younger vigilante turned to him, visibly contemplating a lie something was seriously distressing him “One of those things snatched me up, took me by surprise smashed me into that window up there, then dropped me.”

“Mmm. And why did you wait twenty-one floors to use the grapple gun?”

“It jammed.”

Bruce wasn’t buying it for a second, but indulged him this once surely this could wait until these creatures were dealt with. He didn't like Dick lying to him not that this would be the first time, but he couldn't help the suspicion that whatever Nightwing was hiding from him was important.

“Alfred won’t be pleased to hear that. He and Lucius should take a look at it when we get back.”

The Superman appeared over head giving a short nod in acknowledgment before moving in closer to the mass. The Parademon's were larger up close, no longer entirely bat-like, their wings outspread, circling like vultures over the dead. Their bodies were built strong, the color of a black that appeared blue in the light, an alien metal armoring their arms, legs and upper body. Long talon like claws and red goggled eyes. Bird like shrieks through razor sharp teeth. Nightmarish demons under command of no one as it seemed. 

“Look out!” 

Long talons wrapped around Clark’s shoulders pulling him forward to the mass, he reached to grab the claws with his hand, he used his ability to fly to steer the Parademon off course. The demon wouldn’t let go

“Don’t come any closer Bruce!”

Clark used his upper body strength to lift his legs up kicking the demon in the jaw with the tip of his boot, finally he was free of the grip and caught his own fall. But his struggle had drawn unwanted attention from the mass that now flew toward him like swarming insects filling the air with angry growls. Before he knew it he was surrounded entirely by the Parademon's, at the very center of the storm. His punches sufficed to distance a few but there was an incoming onslaught from all angles tearing, snapping at him.

“We have to get in there.” 

Bruce opened the terminal again contacting the Batcave “Alfred send in the Batwing to my location.”

Clark flinched away from the pressure of one powerful bite on his arm these creatures were surely not of this planet. Beneath him the city skyline was coming into view, they were getting dangerously close to Bruce’s position now. The Superman focused all of his efforts to push through the Parademon's enduring their painful snaps he closed his eyes, ignoring the sharp stings of their teeth against his hands that were shielding his face.

“He’s luring them out over the bay. Wait here.” Bruce ran across the rooftop, clearing the ledge before gliding down toward the mass. The Batman landed on the Batwing that scooped him up from the sky.

“Transferring manual controls to the Batwing Sir, alert me if I need to take over at any time. Do be careful Master Wayne.”

“Thanks Alfred.”

The Superman let out a pained yell, fighting his way through the hoard trying desperately to keep them away from the cities either side of the bay. Gunfire pierced his senses unique from all the other sounds, Bruce. 

“Bruce I said not to come closer!”

“I’d say you’re still on the Gotham side of the bay Clark, I don’t answer to you.”

The Batwing fired furiously at the demons, hovering high above the water. He hadn’t realized how tight he’d been holding the manual guidance controls until he relaxed them, accuracy was more important then quantity, he may just run out of ammo against these things. 

"Sir, Diana is on route to your location now, I have alerted both the GCPD and the Metropolis Police Department. City wide lock-down protocols are now in effect. Good luck out there Sir."

Clark could see through the bodies of the demons with his x-ray vision, there was the Batwing on the outskirt of the swarm one heavy heartbeat thrumming in his ears drowning out the gunfire that was drawing attention, luring out some of the demons from the mass toward it. 

“They’re coming for you!”

He wasn’t wrong they were tearing viciously at the body of the Batwing, his bullets were not doing much damage, not enough. After only moments the cover of the pilots seat was ripped off and claws were scratching against his armored braces. Then something exploded, the force threw the aircraft forward and into a nose dive. Bruce attempted to eject himself but the water was fast approaching, all he could feel was worry. Not because he was trapped and falling but that he would be underwater while the fight was out here, like ground zero during Zod's attack buried under rubble. He refused to be helpless this time around, Clark was NOT going to be alone out there. When he finally crash landed he felt no water surrounding him which was strangely alarming. 

He opened his eyes closing them again in instinct shying away from the brightness, the Batwing sat idle only centimeters from the calm waves of the bay encased in a giant glowing net, shimmering and vibrant. Bruce looked up from the pilots seat to see a man hovering in the sky but his colors were not red and blue.

His color was Green.


	9. Justice League: Assemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman must leave Superman to his fate so he can save Gotham with the help of the mysterious new Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. Although Superman is not entirely without assistance.

The man in green descended from his place in the sky toward the Batwing encased in the large net which was being projected from a ring on the mysterious rescuers finger. The man wore a uniform bearing a symbol Bruce had not seen, sceptical of his intentions he held the batclaw close hoping to distract him long enough to jump down through an opening in the net, with luck make it to the harbor.

“The Batman?”

Bruce steadied his weapon for a moment unsure whether that was a friendly or villainous greeting.

The man in Green laughed to himself, Bruce cringed internally that was not a good sign.

“I didn’t think you actually existed. Wow, I would have said I’m impressed but then I would be lying right? But first impressions are always deceiving. I see these bird aliens are giving you a hard time, but don’t worry I got this.”

Bruce shot the batclaw up at the man in green who moved swiftly to encase it in a box “That wasn’t very nice.” he looked down to find that he’d lost concentration on the net, the Batwing was now floating on the surface of the bay. The Batman nowhere in sight.

“Batman?” His voice was unsteady and admittedly a little nervous, this guy was credited in ghost stories as a master of deception and fear. Didn’t mention he was rude and unappreciative not to mention trigger happy.

“Come on Batman we’re on the same side here. Look see I’ll prove it.”

The man reached his ring out toward the parademon swarm, a giant shimmering green shroud fell slowly, soon the whole mass was contained. 

“See?”

 

The Batman appeared suddenly, standing on top of the Batwing, his suit dry. How did he do that?

“Who are you?”

“You can call me Green Lantern.”

Bruce was silent and disapproving, watching the man carefully.

The Green Lantern looked to his ring in alarm as the force of the parademons inside the barrier was demanding his attention. These things were powerful and hard to contain.

“What the hell are those things?” He exclaimed holding his wrist in his free hand, focusing hard on the containment.

Bruce took the opening to contact Clark “Superman are you alright?” when he received no answer he pressed the headset again “Superman...” No answer. His voice became soft, almost hopeful “Clark. Can you hear me?” panic was building under the surface of his self control.

Green Lantern shook his head briefly “Can’t really talk right now Batman trying to hold this lot.” 

Bruce looked up at him “Can you get into the center of that mass?”

The man actually spared a look toward him, letting out a short laugh “Why would I want to do something like that?”

“Someone’s in there.”

Green Lantern stopped briefly staring at him now “A friend of yours?”

“Yes.”

There was a long moment before the man in green answered him, considering his request “I’m sorry Batman I don’t know if I can. Maybe? I could try.”

 

“Sir, I have incoming reports that several alien creatures have appeared in and around Gotham City.”

Bruce cursed under his breath looking up to the obscured moon, the swarm encasing Superman, his optical scanners searching desperately through the hurricane of monsters to no avail.

“Sir?”

“I’ll handle it.”

He took a moment before tapping the headset again “Clark. I have to go.” there was no answer, Bruce felt sick, the sensation of blood draining from his face. This Green Lantern was doing his best to contain the mass but even he could see the Bat signal glowing bright against the clouds. 

“Lantern. This is no longer contained I need you on the ground in Gotham.”

The Green Lantern looked to him with surprise “We’re leaving your friend?” Bruce couldn’t bring himself to say it. He looked away from the man in green, letting the unspoken words dawn on him. The cage around the mass faded away as the Lantern lowered his ring, the swarm thankfully stayed in its position over the bay. 

 

“Alright. Let’s go.”

The Green Lantern’s ring surrounded the Batman in a green sphere lifting him up off the Batwing and toward city. Stopping at the harbor, the man let him free to grapple up the nearest building slinging himself into the air batwings spread out, gliding into the danger ahead. The Green Lantern flew after him into the war torn streets of Gotham City.

Alfred had been right, more of these demon like monsters were springing from all corners of the sister city, congregating at its center. Some running on four legs, others on two, mindlessly ripping apart anything in their way. One of the demons reached out with its claws to scratch Bruce mid flight but was pulled back by a golden lasso wrapped firmly around its throat. The Batman stopped in his tracks, Lantern following close behind.

“Batman.” Came the smooth and strong voice of the daughter of Zeus, and a veteran warrior.

“Wonder Woman.”

Diana could see something in Bruce’s eyes, something that worried her deeply “Where’s your other half?”

 

Clark was hanging lifelessly in the sky, his red cape fluttering in the wind as the winged demons swooped around him a great storm swirling around his idle body. The voices murmuring through the headset in his ear had disappeared, with all the overwhelming sound around him everything else was drowned away. These creatures had worn him down, no matter how hard he fought he could not break through their ranks. 

He could hear the sound of the waves below them, the calm surface of the bay had dramatically changed, it was now angrily crashing against the harbor, great surging waves opening up into a whirlpool underneath the mass ready to consume the sky. Something emerged from the water, something large. There was a screech of pain and a snap of heavy jaws, the great weight falling back to the surface of the bay with a large crash. Clark opened his eyes. 

The surface was disturbed once again as a large shark launched from its depths into the air, wide, piercing jaws slamming shut like a trap snapping the parademon in half. Clark grabbed hold of a demon in his reach using all the force in his body to break the wings, satisfying clicks of the bones sent shivers down his spine. One after the other they fell from the sky, down to the water where they were swiftly stolen by predators. Dragged down into the deep. Clark felt a force throw him aside, one of the great ocean monsters was beside him snatching up prey as if it were catching flying fish. Whatever the reason they had for helping him, they were clearing up the sky. 

Something changed in the parademons behaviour, distress perhaps. They flew higher up beyond the great sharks range, no longer circling they hovered idly as if waiting for something, someone.

The light from the moon dimmed in the presence of a dark figure in the sky standing on the piled bodies of parademons hovering in the sky. A tyrannical presence, powerful and unforgiving. The figure was large, embodied with heavy armour, whoever it was they were immovable from their place at the top of the hierachy.

“Who are you?” Clark’s question was left unanswered as red lasers like heat vision emerged from the figures eyes blasting the Superman out of the sky. The searing pain shot through him like nothing he had ever felt before. His body impacted the surface of the water with a loud splash, the tyrant in the sky standing proud over the most powerful man in the world, laid to waste with little effort. Clark couldn’t feel his legs, his body aching with the blast of energy, everything was going black. His finger could feel the cold surface of the water, smooth brushes of fins against his finger tips as small fish gathered around him, and suddenly a strong hand, armoured with scales encircled his waist, pulling him toward the harbor as his body let go, he closed his eyes, relaxing against the strangers hold.

 

Bruce glided onto the building overlooking Wayne Tower, his eyes scanning the rooftop for his companion Nightwing. The young vigilante had disappeared from this position.

“Alfred you said the tracker was here.”

There was audible keystrokes through the headset as Alfred tirelessly manned the bat-computer

“That is correct, his tracker signal reads just north of your location, corner of the rooftop.”

Bruce could see it now, lying on the ground, he cursed internally at Dick’s inability to follow instruction, even at a time like this.

“He’s gone Alfred, he removed his tracker. Why?”

“Perhaps whatever it is he is doing he doesn’t want you to follow him.”

“Check the security footage from Wayne Tower for the last hour, I want to know what he was doing before I arrived.”

“I’ll relay my findings to you.”

Bruce stepped up onto the barrier of the rooftop looking down to where he could see Diana and the Green Lantern fighting courageously against the beasts. With both Nightwing and Superman out of his reach he fought that feeling of powerlessness, he was not responsible for them. 

He was responsible for Gotham. 

The Bat descended landing hard on the head of another demon, putting his utility belt to use in coordination with the other super-humans. A green grenade launcher, a sturdy shield and a batarang. Gotham’s mighty heroes. 

 

The base of the trident hit the cement of the harbor with a clanging sound that echoed, the King of the sea had risen up out of his domain. Long sun bleached hair hanging wet either side of his bearded face, furious brown eyes looking up under furrowed brows at the contrast of bright glowing signs of fluorescent colour against the old stone city. 

Atlantis the city below the sea had gone unacknowledged for centuries, but with the recent attack on there home by the Black Zero machines it was time to make their voices heard. Trident in his right hand, red cape of the Superman in his left, the King of Atlantis was here to settle the score and make a stand.


	10. Justice League Darkseid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Seven finally come together to face the wrath of Darkseid and his Parademons. United by their enemy. They are the Justice League.

“Alfred I need the location of the nearest weapons cache.”

“There are no non-lethal weapons cache’s near your immediate vicinity Sir.”

“Lethal is fine.” 

“Master Wayne?”

“Flying demons Alfred. Nearest cache.”

Alfred cleared his throat “Queen Industries rooftop, inside a false air vent, your sensors with identify it easily enough.”

Bruce was back to back with Wonder Woman punching through the onslaught of screeching Parademons from all sides. He looked up briefly to see the letters Q-U-E-E-N down the side of the skyscraper opposite their position. 

“Diana I need you to hold this position.”

The warrior spared a look over her shoulder “Do what I can.” Her braces crossed against the talons of Darkseid’s army. 

Bruce took out the grapple gun from his utility belt only to have it promptly caught in the jaws of a demon, it was determined to take his hand with it. Bruce let it go, he had no way to get up there now. His mind went to the Green Lantern who was too far to reach from here, but something in that direction gave him an idea.

The Batman timed his jump with the approaching Parademon flying though the city center, the moment came and he reached out, holding on tight to the gold metal grieves of the monster with great caution.

The Green Lantern was fighting on the ground when he caught sight of the Bat attempting to steer the Parademon, scaling up the Queen Industries tower. The Gotham Vigilante was as crazy as he had been reported in the press. 

Bruce cut the ankle of the demon with a batarang, his boots landing on the roof of the tower with a thud. He opened the terminal in his suit, calibrating his sensors to scan the roof for the false vent.

 

The CCPD was bustling with officers gearing up to move out, Barry Allen pulled the strap of his backpack closer stopping one of them before they could catch the elevator on the way down.

“What’s happening?”

The officer looked at him incredulously “Gotham City’s under attack Barry, haven’t you been watching the news? Every bodies down there, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and some other people. We’re setting up a defensive front in case the fight comes our way.” The officer pushed past him to slip between the closing doors.

Barry looked up at the television headlines coming through, images of the heroes fighting Darkseid’s demon’s in the city center, he shook his head in disbelief “And they didn’t invite me?”

 

Wonder Woman sliced a demon open with her sword, deflecting a hit with her shield she was fast becoming overwhelmed in her corner “Lantern! I need help over here.”

A green anvil fell from the sky to land on a demon in front of her, she jolted in shock before shouting “More than that!” she had to jump backward out of the way to avoid the large bus landing on the remaining demons. She turned to look at him clearly unimpressed, the man in green gave her an apologetic look “Overkill?”

Diana pointed the tip of her sword at the bodies “An anvil and a bus?”

Green Lantern shrugged “What? I panicked.”

They were both interrupted suddenly by a whirring digital sound in the distance, they turned to see a parademon larger than the others, clad head to toe in gold armor carrying a metal man. The demon crashed into the city center under the weight of its haul. Among the stir of dust the stranger got to his feet, whirring and buzzing throughout his limbs as they co-coordinated to move.

This stranger was more robot than man, a Cyborg, with powerful military grade armor, weaponry and an inbuilt computer interface. Lantern wanted to interrupt him but he was furiously ripping apart the demon with his hands, blasting holes in another ground demon who rounded the corner. This machine was dangerous and some what out of control. The only humanity visible was the half obscured face, promethium metal molded his body like a cast, perhaps there was no body underneath the metallic surface. His human eye wide with terror and pain, his red cybernetic eye sending out beams of light scanning his surroundings beyond his will.

A digital voice originating from Cyborg’s suit began reporting aloud.

*Translating data analysis. Command: Darkseid. Initiating download: Instructions.*

The Cyborg did not appear to fully understand the information, suggesting that he was not consciously gathering the intel but rather the robotic side of him was running programs without his full control.

*Activate Motherbox. Initiate self destruct. For Darkseid.*

The Green Lantern called out against his better judgment “Hey! Robocop!” 

The Cyborg turned on him priming the energy canon in his palm ready to fire, until the human side of him took over, there was an internal struggle for control before he lowered the cannon, powering down slowly.

The Green Lantern audibly let out the breath he had been holding in, thankful for the change of heart. He and Diana stood together waiting for the stranger to voice his intention

“My name’s Vic.” The digital undertone to his voice echoed through the acoustic space of the city center, notably the voice was young and uncertain.

“Hey I’m Hal, this here’s...”

“Diana.” she provided

“What happened to me?” Vic raised his hands to his eye level, honestly in distress over his situation.

Diana took point, her voice calm and understanding “What do you remember Vic?” The Cyborg reacted negatively, covering his face with his metal hands.

“The Motherbox exploded, fiery acid everywhere. Nanites crawling in my blood! Fusing metal to my face! Buzzing in my ears it won’t stop! How could you do this to me!?” A Parademon flew down raising its talons against Vic and that’s when his interface announced *White noise cannon enabled.*

The blast sent them all flying backward smashing hard against the windows of the surrounding buildings in a shock wave of white. 

Bruce’s glove tore through the vent, grabbing hold of a large box, inside was a second arsenal to his dwindling utility belt weaponry. Guns, grenade launchers, batarangs and more, he was not sure if it would be enough but he layered them over his bat-suit anyway. Something was glowing at the bottom of the box, a large bullet that he was supposed to catalog into the evidence locker back in the Bat-Cave, it must have fallen in. He pocketed it hastily before heading back to the fight. 

Hal and Diana climbed out of the broken cement and shattered glass, Cyborg was trying to tear the fused cybernetic mask from his face in attempt to deactivate himself.

“Vic wait! It’s alright, we’re okay! Let us help you.” Diana overstretched her hand toward him but her appeal was cut short by the interface’s report.

*Located Motherbox. Proximity: High. Calculated damage: Warning imminent destruction.*

The ground beneath them began to shake, something in the underground tunnel system was overloading. The heroes looked to each other before the explosion erupted from the underground, a large fireball of energy like a mushroom cloud bursting through the cement and expanding every millisecond, they raised their arms in a futile defense.

Bruce felt the initial impact of the explosion, finally having reached the ledge of the building he shouted “Diana! Lantern!” reaching his hand out instinctively as the large flash of light erupted from the ground.

Barry enjoyed seeing the world in each microsecond of time, his hands swinging by his side in the blink of an eye, legs carrying him faster than any man alive. The scene before him you could say was a captured moment before a catastrophe very few people had the opportunity to race fate, and even fewer would beat it. The Flash stepped up onto the side of the half destroyed window running horizontally against gravity, finally wrapping his arms around the Green Lantern speeding him to safety, returning shortly to rescue an amazonian woman shielding herself from the blast, maybe that shield would be enough to save her but Barry was not going to gamble with her life. The last one was about to be hit by the explosion, the scarlet speedster kicked up the glass running with everything he had. The Cyborg’s heavy body was moved with great effort, each step was chased closely by the explosion, death was catching up to them. Barry let out a yell pushing all his strength into lifting the crushing weight of the Cyborg, the blast radius almost touching his heel, he forced himself forward, smashing through a barrier of sound that make a loud crack in the space around them. The few seconds that followed was a blur until he slipped up crashing in a collapse of his own speed they were out of the range of the explosion in fact they were a block away. The Flash had never traversed a space in such a short time that he was unable to cognitively keep up. Barry scrambled to his feet appearing at the Cyborg’s side suddenly “Hey! You still with me?” There was a moment where Barry truly felt the world stop, had he failed? Was he too late? Not fast enough.

“Ugh...” *Configuring data: Meta-Human. Speed force. Code name: Flash.”

“That’s me. You alright Tin Man?”

 

“What..” Green Lantern patted down his body in disbelief, surprised to be alive, Diana was dizzy bracing herself with her sword in the ground. Cyborg nowhere in sight she voiced her concern “What just happened? What happened to Vic?” Hal shook his head he was without answers just the same.

A loud energy blast was emitted from across the bay, it was coming from the Parademon mass. Bruce turned in time to see the falling form of the Superman. Everything was happening so fast around him, Nightwing disappears, Diana, Hal vanish in an explosion. The Batman fought hard to keep himself together, Alfred would tell him to keep on point. That’s exactly what he had to do. Batwings spread wide, Bruce descended toward the harbor. Panic and emotion he could not let them cloud his duty to protect Gotham, even if he was the last hero standing among the bodies of his fallen comrades. 

The Batman landed on the Harbor docks, he couldn’t see anything out over the bay but the swarm and the Bat-wing floating on the surface of the water. Sudden movement further down the docks caught his eye. Bruce broke into a run when he saw the red cape bunched up in the hand of a stranger, he held the gun ready at his side.

 

The King of Atlantis stood before the Batman, letting the grip of his trident loosen so the point lowered to face the level of the bat. First few steps onto land in a long time and already he had a gun in his face.

“I hope for your sake that weapon will kill me before I impale you with this.” He swayed his trident’s point over Bruce’s face. The King had an intimidating presence admittedly but he was threatening the wrong man.

Bruce raised the gun to eye level distracting the Aquaman for a moment enough to hook his boot under the base of the trident kicking it upward through the loose grip before grabbing hold of it with his hands. The Batman set off a smoke bomb shrouding them in a cloud of darkness, the King tried to close his hand over the last of the weapons shaft but the grip was not enough to keep hold of it. The smoke dissipated and Aquaman found the point of the trident in his face “You are a skilled warrior. But I am not here to fight you. I am here for the one in command of those creatures in the sky.” He pointed to the swarm “They are in the water, I will see them all dead.”

Bruce flipped the trident so the Aquaman could take hold of it again “Help me or stay out of my way.”

The Superman was lying half on the dock and half in the water his cape held in the King’s hand. Bruce pushed past the Aquaman. Pulling the cape from his grasp forcefully, he dropped to his knees, pulling his friend up into his arms. He smoothed over Clark’s forehead pushing the hair from his face familiarly “Clark?”

The Aquaman watched on, he knew a grief stricken warrior when he saw one, this vigilante of the surface world was battle hardened but furiously fighting the pain of loss. He looked over the features of the unconscious man who fell from the sky, the Black Zero machine over Atlantis had been destroyed by a man flying though the air, red and blue much like this man. Could it be that he and his warriors were protectors of the land as he was to the sea, perhaps they had saved Atlantis that day, a city they’d never seen. It was his turn to help protect the surface world. 

“Hey” Bruce breathed, relieved as Clark’s eyes opened blue eyes visibly relaxing at the sight of him.

“What happened to you?” Clark managed weakly 

Bruce lifted him up from his position on the dock “Don’t worry about that, we still have to save the city.”

“Bruce! Something’s coming!” Clark was pointing to the parademon swarm over the bay, Bruce followed his finger to the point in the sky, flying monsters burdened with the weight of their commander. He was coming. 

Bruce pushed the Superman behind him, moving to stand beside the King of the sea, neither prepared to fight the god of Apokolips. He lunged toward them landing in a sphere of energy that sent them stumbling backward away from him.

“I am Darkseid.”

Without any further explanation of himself the god began to approach them ready to fight, he swung his large armored fist at the Batman colliding with the trident that had swung in front of him protectively. Bruce fired his gun into Darkseid’s face serving only to aggravate the god. 

Darkseid raised his clenched fists into the air, his large body towering over the heroes, the tyrant was conjuring a shockwave, stopped only by the sudden impact of an energy cannon. The God yelled in fury as a red shadow attacked the grieves of his legs escaping the grasp of his gigantic hands. He raised his hand to smash the ground but his arm was caught in a golden lasso, his other hand shackled in green. Clark let go of Bruce standing up on his own, power of the rising sun surging through his veins, the Superman flew up to face the god. 

Darkseid’s impenetrable armour was deflecting the Batman’s bullets, taking no damage from his arsenal of weaponry. The godlike figure would only be given pause by the efforts of the Justice League for a moment. It wouldn’t be enough. Bruce looked to the empty chamber of his grenade launcher that had once carried anti-kryptonian ammunition, he had nothing else to throw at Darkseid. Maybe one thing. 

The Superman was holding the gods head up toward the sky to prevent him from blasting any of the with his heat vision like powers, but he was struggling to hold him.

Green Lantern lingered over his head “What is that?”

Bruce inspected the glowing bullet in his hand it was his last resort, not that it mean he knew what this bullet was, or even if it was a bullet.

“Where did you get that Batman?” 

Green Lanterns voice was drowned out by the headset intercom “You do realize that the radion bullet is a part of the evidence archive Sir? Destroying it may have an effect on the case of which it is involved.”

Bruce opened the chamber of the grenade launcher “Make a record of its absence.”

Clark's efforts to hold Darkseid's head finally failed and the gods eyes began to glow red, ready to kill them all.

The Batman loaded the large radion bullet into the grenade launcher not sure if it was even compatible with the weaponry. The god was about to break free of his restraints when the bullet fired swiftly through the air piercing Darkseid’s forehead, the heroes were surprised with its effectiveness. 

Clark saw the opportunity presenting itself as the titans movements ceased, defenses weakened, he quickly capitalized focusing heat vision full force toward Darkseid, Cyborg followed on, firing his energy cannons. The tyrant finally fell to his knees.

It was Aquaman’s trident that dealt the final blow, forcefully embedded in the eye socket and face of the otherworldly tyrant. The King of Atlantis tore it from Darkseid’s head, he was defeated.

The city skyline was filled with the screeches of Parademons as they were sucked up into invisible portals, disappearing from view.

“Where are they going!” Green Lantern moved to pursue them but was stopped by the Flash, a hand on his chest in warning.

Darkseid’s lifeless body was sucked into a portal beside them, instinctively they all moved away from the invisible hole not keen to find out where it was they were going. They would never know if they’d truly killed him, perhaps one day they would know. For now the Justice League had won.

 

Aquaman offered his hand to help Cyborg up from the ground, his free hand holding the blood stained trident firmly. Wonder Woman wrapped her strong arms around the Green Lantern and the Fastest man alive, the demigoddess exhilarated from battle. While Superman stood beside the Batman who was awestruck to see his friends alive. They stood in silence at first until Clark took hold of Bruce’s hand demanding his undivided attention, the headset was placed into his open palm.

“This is yours.”

Bruce let himself smile halfheartedly at best, no one else was looking after all, he seized Clark’s hand before it could escape, returning the device back to him

“I want you to keep it. We need to stay in contact.”

Clark nodded, blue eyes fixed on the Batman “I couldn’t agree more. We should get to work on repairing the damage to Gotham.”

 

“Master Wayne, I have recovered the footage from Wayne Tower.”

Bruce tapped the headset “What did you find?”

“Perhaps it’s best you see this for yourself.”

 

Commissioner Gordon pressed the bridge of his glasses, readjusting them to better read his address “This morning was a catastrophe that could have been, an invasion of alien life determined to destroy our city of Gotham. We would ask ourselves why? Why were we of all cities spared. I can tell you that it is not that our city is deserving, nor that it is in its heart good. It is because there are those willing to fight for it. The brave officers who imposed a lock-down on our streets, guiding us to shelter. Our citizens who remained vigilant, calm and hopeful. Our heroes who came from the sky, from the ground and from the sea. United by our hopes, our plights...” He paused.  
“...Gotham is a city in the midst of continuous criminal war, reminded only by our heroes that we do not truly stand alone. Reminded, that Gotham is our home and she will remain standing if we are willing to help her up when she falls. We may not have have lived to see the sun rise on this day, and yet it shines down above us now, Gotham owes that debt... to the Justice League."


	11. Meanwhile The Injustice League...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where was the Injustice League during the fight with Darkseid and his Parademons?

The Wayne Enterprises mission

Injustice League second headquarters Gotham underground...

 

The light thud of two fingers tapping against the chin over and over, impatience. Eyes reading the words with the motion of a typewriter, second guessing. The obscured murmurings in between taps of fingers against his chin, each ticking of a second by the clock hand raising the hair on the back of his neck, agitation rife beneath a thin layer of composure. 

“What did you do with it?” he murmurs “Wayne Applied Science Division would have it. Never would sell the division to me, idiot.” tap “What’s taking so long?” tap.

The voice came through the contact line, one Jason Todd “It’s not here.”

Lex slammed his palm against the desk to relieve his boiling anger, before he froze still, speaking to himself with sudden revelation “Of course it’s not there. You knew I’d come for it.”

He opened the contact line abruptly “Get out of there!” The Batman would not let an idiot like Wayne get a hold of the Kryptonite, no he’d have secured it already! How could he be so stupid? The clock was still ticking behind him, ever reminding him that time was running out. 

They needed that Kryptonite especially if they failed their mission, admittedly he regretted lying to his injustice league about his goals. But they were all ‘villains’ here, no honor among them. It had started when he escaped the aftermath of his first master plan, hiding in the underground tunnels out of the sun, away from Metropolis’ judgment. A wanted man. 

(Flashback)

Sitting at this very desk in fact he’d been bemoaning his failure when electricity had set his office alight, sparks of lightening in a red static. The figure of a man clad in yellow appearing before his desk, his form hard to perceive. He raised his hand “Don’t get up Luthor.” it was a false courteous tone.

Luthor had been curious, considering he’d never met this stranger who apparently knew him. Briefly renewed in his confidence Luthor smirked, unmoved from his seated position emotionally unchanged by the arrival. 

“Wasn’t going to.” He gestured for the stranger to have a seat, waiting patiently for either death or conversation. This meta-human had the ability to teleport as it seemed, although the vibrations in his movement were hard to place on the spectrum of powers that he and his science team had devised.

The stranger refused his offer remaining to stand in his position amid the circle of electricity generated behind him “I am here to help you change the future.”

“As is every man selling something, what do you want?”

“I’m not from this time. You don’t know me Luthor, but you will. I want you to change something in the timeline. I need you to assemble all that you can, there is someone you need to kill.”

“And why would I care about your future?”

“Because you won’t be there to see it. Any of it. You’re one of the first to die.” The Reverse Flash disappeared as he had been doing a few times on and off since their partnership. Vanishing without word nor reason. Lex was beginning to think that maybe this Flash's ability to communicate with him was unstable, they'd been working together in secret for some time now.

(End Flashback)

Luthor was now pouring over the plans on the desk again, waiting for further communication with Jason that had since gone silent, the sound of the speedsters arrival interrupted his line of thought returning him to the sound of the ticking clock. Lex could see the Reverse Flash standing beside him in his periphery, the digital voice conveyed concern “We need that Kryptonite Luthor.”

“The Batman has it.”

“Then it’s only a matter of time before the Superman takes it off his hands, once he has it you’ll never see it again.”

Lex tapped his finger against an old newspaper on his desk “We won’t need it if we finish the plan.”

“And if you fail... you’ll have nothing to stop him.”

 

Early hours of the morning during the fight with the Parademons above ground. Gotham...

 

The dull light of the early hour filled the circle opening into the underground tunnel system, strong hands of the titan Bane lowering his companion Jason Todd into the narrow space. The Joker’s Robin landing with acrobatic precision, something he was taught and had mastered. The giant fired his rather overcompensating gun into the hoard of demons chasing after them before climbing in after Jason, reaching up to pull the grate over the manhole again shrouding the tunnel in darkness. Jason ran his fingers along the protruding pipe lining the wall to find his way. The plan was to go to ground, and with the looks of the situation out there, this was the safest place to be. The Injustice League had no business with saving Gotham. 

Jason rounded a corner, following the pipe closely as he collided with a man and his walking cane. In the darkness he reached for his weapons but was given pause by the irritable voice of Edward Nygma aka the Riddler “Watch where you’re going!”

“What are you doing here Nygma?”

“We were making our way to the new headquarters but as it seems we are lost.”

Scarecrow interrupted “I told you I know these tunnels better than you Ed you should have listened to me.”

Another voice rang out from further ahead a bright yellow light filling the space of the tunnel “You lost as well?”

The villains congregated around Sinestro as they made their way through the system with Scarecrows guidance. Screeches of demons coming from the surface, a thick layer of cement separating them. There was an uneasy atmosphere in the air as they were walking close together deprived of personal space, walls of the tunnel only narrowing every given step. 

“Thanks for covering my back big guy.”

Bane was caught off guard by Jason “Don’t mention it little Joker.” Jason’s red smeared lips pulled into a smile. The titan hadn’t ever liked just being the muscle of an operation, but the crazy kid was alright by standards of partners, he’d certainly dealt with worse. Scarecrow had worked with almost everyone before, he and his psychiatric knowledge were very popular in Gotham’s criminal circles, also meant he knew his way around Arkham. Edward not so popular, narcissistic know it all but guaranteed someone you want on a job like this one, knows the GCPD by the back of his purple gloved hand. Sinestro was an unknown, man of space babbling madness about sectors and evil green people. Everyone’s crazy in this city, so it doesn’t matter what’s wrong with him. A pink man in a yellow space-police uniform, and magic ring, he’d fit right in around here.

The sounds of a large firefight penetrated the tunnel system, the GCPD no doubt on the ground out there. Gotham’s brave front, still corrupt as ever best some of them went down out there.

Scarecrow filled the void by initiating conversation “Wonder if Croc’s still down here?”

Edward patted Dr Crane’s shoulder “Didn’t you hear? Old Croc’s got himself taken in by Waller. He’s as good as dead now.”

Bane shook his masked head “Shame.” they’d had some good times, only fair fight he really ever had.

“You think we’ll get em’ out? The others I mean. Do you think we’ll actually find Joker?” Scarecrow’s question went unanswered, none of them eager to address that can of worms present company taken into account.

Jason visibly jolted suddenly, flashes of the time he’d spent in that psycho’s hands. The psycho that he was now. Under his skin, half clown, half bat. They always say the last stage of becoming someone else was killing them and taking their place, the question was which half had to go.

Jason’s light fingers tapped against Bane’s large shoulder “Do you hear that?”

The crashing waves smashed against the outer wall of the bay with a force enough to rupture the already damaged structure. Gotham Industrial Harbor had already been destroyed by the fight with Doomsday, now it was about to fold under the strong waves in the control of the Atlantian King. Each time the great megalodon sharks came down with a splash the water would rush outwards against the Harbor side. Finally breaking the barrier, flooding into the tunnels. The villains stopped suddenly looking back behind them as the sound of rushing water approached them.

“Up here!” Bane lifted Sinestro up first, then Edward and Dr Crane. The titan reached out to take hold of Jason who was moving toward him and something in the Robin’s blue eyes changed, they both knew he wouldn’t get there in time. Bane reflexively took hold of the bar that separated the levels of the tunnel watching force of the flood sweep Jason away. 

Shock stricken the villains helped Bane up onto the second level, speechless at the loss. They had to keep moving, each second the water level came closer to reaching them. The titan looked back to where Jason had been washed away, something was disturbing him, he was feeling a sense of grief. But these villains meant nothing to him, or at least he thought so. Kid didn’t deserve to die. He should have lifted him up first, should have...

Sinestro’s light dissipated and every one stopped, colliding into one another in the darkness.

“Sinestro?”

“Shh. Stay behind me.” 

Dr Crane moved to see why the lantern had stopped them and was surprised to see a Parademon inside the tunnel, it was consumed with its task of attaching something to the tunnel wall, a strange box that glowed in the dark, a brilliant blue.

Sinestro whispered over his shoulder “Where are we Crane?” 

The Scarecrow took note of the structures around them with what light that was coming from the Demons work “The City Center.”

“What is it doing?” Bane questioned keeping the others behind him protectively

Sinestro scanned it with his ring “He’s priming an explosive device, my ring says that it is a powerful sentient program, a Motherbox, under the command of someone called Darkseid.”

“How do you know all of that?” Ed inquired

“My ring possesses the knowledge of the Weaponers of the Qward, they must have seen this before. I doubt even Guardians would know about it.” 

“Can you deactivate it?”

They were interrupted by the screeching voice of the demon “For Darkseid!” startling the villains, Sinestro’s eyes widened with realization “Get down!” the turn coat lantern reflexively encased them in a box of shimmering yellow color, protecting them from the blast. The villains braced themselves, crouched together as the explosion of energy blew past. Tearing apart the pipes, ripping a hole in the city center exposing the tunnel to the outside.

“We have to get out of this damn tunnel!” Ed yelled 

Once the explosion had passed Sinestro pushed forward “We have to get to the headquarters, regroup with Luthor.” He turned when he couldn’t hear them following.

“Are you coming?”

The three Gotham villains were standing among the rubble of cement and piping, indecision visible in their eyes. Splitting up now was a mistake, Sinestro had been a part of a militia like operation before, now was not the time to part ways. Especially if the reading in his ring was correct, Gotham was almost overrun with extraterrestrial activity.

“We have to get there! Stay close.”

Finally Dr Crane took the first step prompting the others to follow, not wanting to lose any more members of this team tonight. They were used to elaborate plans and days of destruction but they were never usually on the receiving end of a destructive alien attack. Crawling through tunnels, hiding from the heroes only just above them. So close yet so far.

They rounded the last corner into the final tunnel, but skidded to a stop when they saw that the way ahead was blocked by a demon, waiting for them. Its red goggled eyes watching them with close attention, ready to snap at them with its sharp teeth.

“Alright we should get out of these tunnels.” Sinestro admitted stumbling backward but stopped when Bane pushed past them running head on at the demon like a madman. The demon spat a large flame, the fire a continuous stream from between its razor sharp teeth. Unfortunately that did not discourage Bane who by now was a runaway train, his heavy fist punched Darkseid’s demon in the jaw in an onslaught of fury, the titan was filled with adrenaline coursing through his veins, reigning down punishment on the minion. The demon was pummeled into the cement floor, yells of Bane’s red rage filling the hollow of the tunnel. Sinestro took the opportunity to get the others past and take up the Motherbox lying on the ground on his way.

“Bane lets go!”

“Bane!”

Finally he looked up from the demons broken face, fists shaking uncontrollably. Sinestro was waiting for him to follow. The villains made it to the headquarters bursting through the steel doorway shutting it closed behind them abruptly. Each catching their breath after having run the rest of the way, only just a few days ago they'd been villains in their own right, running their own operations. Now they were a part of this crew, the objective to eliminate the heroes was indeed the thing that had brought them together but even when they were losing their own out there they still came back to headquarters rather than leave.The three villains turned slowly, the building that was now the second base of operations in the Gotham City underground coming into view. It was admittedly less appealing in its appearance than its Metropolis counterpart. 

When they'd come here, to Gotham they'd been seven. Now they were four. Reverse Flash had all but disappeared off the face of the earth after they arrived. Jason was gone. They hoped that Luthor was still alive around here somewhere or this Injustice League may fall apart before it even started. Sinestro led them toward the building his yellow uniform glowing bright in the floodlights, the man of space was shadowed by three of Gotham's most wanted. Hurrying up the industrial steel staircase that opened into the eerily empty meeting room, searching for the boss.

“Glad to see you made it back.”

The remnants of the Injustice League turned to their leader who stood above them on the balcony above the meeting room, seemingly unfazed or perhaps uniformed by the situation outside.

“The kid died out there tonight.” Bane couldn't stop the aggression in his voice as he said it

Lex was shocked to hear that “No no no that’s bad. We need him. He’s the key.” the boss descended from his position, toward them.

“Key to what!? Just tell us what this is all about Luthor!”

Luthor scooped up the old newspaper on his desk slamming it down in front of them. The villains scanned over the headline briefly both confused and impatient

“What does he have to do with any of this?”

Lex circled them ready to reveal to them the truth about their mission “The mission isn't to kill Superman, in fact that is only secondary. We have a primary objective. You see the Reverse Flash came to me from the future to warn me that his world was destroyed by what this man did we have to stop him or we’re headed on the same path.” He let it sink in for a moment.

Dr Crane fought the urge to laugh "From the future?" Sinestro didn't seem as doubtful about the notion.

"He used that to reach me." the boss pointed to the Motherbox in Sinestro's hands. "We have to kill this man..." He tapped the headline "...Or the Superman will destroy the world."

“So Jason was bait for the Joker.”

Luthor nodded in confirmation “Yes... He was.”

“You didn’t assemble us to kill the Superman. You assembled us to kill Joker?”

“If we don’t kill him he will destroy the Superman’s will to spare those in opposition to him. If Joker succeeds we’ll have to kill the Superman with the Kryptonite, that’s why we need it.”

“The Superman professes to love Earth and humanity. What could Joker possibly do to Superman?” Edward smirks knowingly

“The Joker poisons him. Superman rips the Batman apart, and then he kills every one of us, and any who oppose him until the world has nothing left. We cannot let the world be crushed because Joker wants it to burn. Can’t do anything when we’re all dead so I say we kill him before that happens.”

The villains stood around the meeting room table hardly able to process the information.

“You believe this time traveling Flash?”

“I do.”

Bane looked around him to Sinestro who nodded, then Edward and Dr Crane in agreement.

“We’ll help you kill the Joker, and then we are done.”

“I’m not sure we can get to him without Jason.” Luthor rubbed his bald head nervously

“What are those things outside? Are they a part of all this?”

Lex shook his head “No. They aren’t important. They’re being dealt with topside.”

 

Lex waved his hand in the direction of the screen filled with the news updates, a sudden look of alarm washed over their bosses features as his hand did not come away from its position behind him. Luthor followed the length of his arm to where his wrist should be but found it missing from view. An oval of shimmering water-like energy rippled away from the sleeve of his jacket, the pull of the portal was slowly dragging him in. Hands grabbed hold of him, Bane, Sinestro, and even the less physically equipped pulling against the power of the invisible portal.

“Pull!” Bane exclaimed trying his hardest not to remove the arm of his boss in the process.

Their efforts were in vain as the last of Lex Luthor’s body was consumed by the portal, all of the villains let go simultaneously. A moment of silence hung in the air as the second of their team was lost tonight, until Sinestro approached the portal raising his ring to scan it.

“This is a boom tube, a kind of wormhole through space. Luthor must be somewhere on the otherside.”

“Can we reverse the direction of the wormhole?” Edward offered

Sinestro reached out to the take the Motherbox he had placed on the table, bringing it to the portals surface “I can interface with the program and take control of this portal through this Motherbox.” The villains looked to each other doubtfully.

Sinestro’s ring partially disassembled the cube, strange sentient metal moving of its own accord. The etchings glowed blue as Sinestro focused his efforts to take it apart with floating yellow tools. 

Bane moved to the window overlooking the the steel doorway they’d latched shut behind them, he could only vaguely hear the echoing sounds of demons approached their position “Get the guns!” 

Scarecrow and Riddler did as the titan ordered scrambling to gather the Penguins shipment of weapons. Just as they did Lex appeared in the room once more seemingly distraught, Sinestro ushered him away from the portal “Welcome back boss.”

“Good job Pinky!” Edward exclaimed hiding how he was rather impressed with Sinestro’s intelligence.

Bane raised his large gun ready for the demons to rush the doorway, the Lantern was still working on the Motherbox “I think I’m into the executive functions now! Let me adjust the boom tube portals, create a recall vacuum.”

The Portal fractured like glass, turning a shade of orange as a loud mechanical sound emanated from the circle. The steel doorway broke open under the sudden pressure, a swarm of demons rushing through the opening toward them.

Bane reflexively ducked out of the way as the demons flew over his head close to fifty or more sucked full force crashing through the large windows lining the meeting room. Each one absorbed by the portal disappearing from view.

“What did you do!?” Lex exclaimed taking cover under the table with the others

The portals all over Gotham began to recall all the parademons, dragging Darkseid’s lifeless body away to the desolate world of Apokolips. 

“What do they say on this planet? ‘ET go home?”

 

The red paint dissolved in the water, swirling upward like a whirlpool of red. Each passing of the current washing away the make up, green strands of hair swaying with each small wave. The Jokers Robin was motionless, body hanging suspended in the water. Flashes of laughter ringing in his ears. Even the Joker had abandoned him now. The last of his resolve was wasted on raising a hand to the roof of the tunnel filled to the brim with the surge of water from the bay. Finally he closed his eyes, ready for the end to come. Lungs ready to give up, head ready to burst.

But something remarkable happened, undeserving of a miracle he could hardly believe it was real. Maybe his mind was still playing jokes on him, cruelly sending him off with false hope. An opening in the tunnel where a manhole must be, a leather clad hand taking hold of his own, pulling him up out of the flooded tunnel. Saving him for the second time today.

Jason landed hard on his back against the road, the faint red flash of the tracker was revealed under his jacket hem. Jason unceremoniously spat out a mouthful of water, his black eye make up running down his cheeks, soul absorbing blue eyes staring down his savior “My damn hero.” his amused blood curdling laugh filling the silence of Gotham’s battle torn streets.


	12. Two Birds With One Tracker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason suffers an episode of his trauma induced insanity in the care of Nightwing. Bruce enlists the help of Alfred, Lucius and Clark to help track down Nightwing. He may just end up with a two for one deal.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up sleepy bird.” the mysterious stranger pulled off the red execution hood from his captives head.

Jason groggily awoke half conscious of who and where he was, the strong smell of potent chemicals overwhelming his senses. Double vision slowly aligning into one, his head hurt like it had been struck with something.

“There he is! I thought maybe you’d gone and died on me.”

Jason’s wrists were tied together above his head, skin under the cuffs torn and bruised from the weight of his body slumped down with exhaustion.”I’m still here...” he breathed, sharp pain from old and new wounds stinging him all over.

“Good. You’re my night’s entertainment after all.”

“...W-What?” Jason tried to see the obscured figure hiding in the shadows

“Have you forgotten me again? We really must have that memory of yours looked at, these introductions are getting old.” The man emerged from the darkness, eyes filled with wild insanity. One of only two faces that could incite dread and terror in any man, the clown prince of crime himself. The Joker.

“No, you’re not here anymore. I’m not here anymore.” Jason pleaded into the silence, not to relive this again. Not again.

“Hush, hush shhhh... It’s alright. It’s just little old me.” The gloved hand reached out to stroke the scarred Robin’s armor Jason was wearing, he flinched away from the touch whimpering with disgust. “I can’t stay long, I have a present to deliver to Bats! Your old get up, not like you need it anymore.”

“Leave him alone.”

“I’m sorry what?”

“I said leave him alone!”

The warm deathly smelling breath washed over his face “You’re not in control of me...” The clown waved a pistol in the air letting it brush against the skin underneath Jason’s chin before placing it firmly against his own head “...Let me demonstrate.”

Jason’s eyes widened in disbelief as the sound of the gunshot filled the room, he instinctively flinched closing his eyes. After a moment he gathered the strength to open them again, startled to find a maniacal painted smile staring back at him. The expression still and haunting, Jason searched the clown’s face in panic, had he really just shot himself?

“Hahahaha haaaaaaa! Oh Robin my dear boy!” 

Jason exhaled heavily as frustration began to build again, he should never have fallen for that.

The Joker revealed a second pistol hidden behind his back, the one he had in fact fired to create the illusion “In all chaos there is control...” he threw the guns down away from him excitedly “...organization in madness...” He pointed his finger into the air in exclamation of his idea “...order in evil...” the Joker moved to press his forehead against Jason’s own, his voice low and dangerous “...reason in insanity.”

“You can’t justify yourself to me Joker, I know what you are.”

The Joker grabbed hold of Jason’s jaw in his hand forcing his to make eye contact “And what is that?”

Jason began to laugh at him, wincing in pain at how it made his rips hurt. His voice was hoarse “You’re empty, dead, there’s nothing inside of you.” His blue eyes stared down his captor feigning confidence, something in the clown went cold and dark, he’d struck a nerve.

The Joker moved away from him briefly, returning to him but remaining in the shadows out of view for a moment. “We’re just alike then... Jason Todd.” He emerged with a burning pincer in hand it’s golden glow illuminating the space around them thrusting forward toward him, maniacal laughter in the air.

The metallic sound of the chains rattling woke Nightwing, he had expected that his guest would attempt to escape. The inhuman scream startled him, it lasted for an impressive amount of time, crackling of vocal cords under the sound of immense pain, the ear piercing scream ceased as Jason woke up struggling against his restraints violently, giving up after a short time, resigning to burying his face against his arm. His body covered in a cold sweat, shaking against his will. He couldn’t close his eyes without hearing that voice, sometimes the faint sensation of a paintbrush over his skin disturbed him from his thoughts. Joker would always paint his face, whisper incoherent nonsense into his ears and offhandedly call him Harley. He wasn’t the boy in chains hanging pitifully from the ceiling of the abandoned Ace Chemicals factory, tormented by the Joker every waking moment. But he was in chains now, a twisted hybrid of two symbols of insanity.

Dick stood at the door of the cell watching Jason twitch from the combating forces in his mind, it broke his heart to see him like this, he couldn’t imagine how much of a failure Bruce would feel seeing this. He’d already failed to save him, but he’d never forgive himself for what the Joker must have done to him.

 

The Batmobile sped through the wall of water, screeching to a halt in time to pull into the parking space. The Batman climbing out from the drivers seat heavy boots hitting the floor with a thud that echoed, tracking dirt behind him “Alfred lock on to the Batwings location have Lucius pick it up discretely.” Alfred was leaning back in his chair, hand waiting on the keyboard of the Bat computer.

“I’m afraid that can wait Sir.”

Bruce was concerned by the strict tone Alfred was taking with him “What is it?”

Alfred swung the chair around to face the screen pulling up the footage from Wayne Tower, frame by frame. Bruce dropped the cowl in his hand, the mask landing with a thud beside him as the vibrant green haired figure pulled a gun to the camera. With a silent bang the camera diverted to the static black and white.

“What are we thinking? Copycat?” Alfred offered

Bruce stalked over to the computer, heart racing as he reached out to touch the screen, the obscured face of the Joker-like character hidden from view.

“That’s not all Sir.” Alfred scrolled through to the footage from the second floor where Nightwing appeared into frame smashing through the glass the Joker-like man in his arms visibly laughing like a maniac. 

“Can we see his face? Is it him!?”

Alfred shook his head “Impossible to say. But we can agree stealth infiltration has never been the Joker’s forte, this man set off no alarms on his way up. Only on his way down.”

“Then who is that?”

“We cannot tell. But we know who he’s working for don’t we?”

“Luthor.”

“I would bet young master Grayson is tracking this man, following him back to Luthor.”

Bruce gritted his teeth “He should have told me!”

“We cannot find Nightwing until he wants to be found, Sir. I will have our usual eyes looking for him, until then I believe you need rest.”

“No! I have to find Dick, if Joker gets to him because of me...”

Alfred stood up from the chair, addressing him like a superior to a subordinate or maybe even a parent to a child “Get a hold of yourself. Master Dick is his own man, not your responsibility. You are sleep deprived and physically drained. You will not be helping anyone in this state Bruce. I will keep searching for him.”

He was right, Bruce could hardly concentrate with how tired he was. Dick didn’t have to remove the tracker but he did which meant he surrendered the Batman’s protection. “You’re right.” He pinched the bride of his nose in exhaustion “I need to sleep.”

“I’ll stay at the computer, I’ll let you know if we find anything.” Alfred’s tone was calm again, he only ever pulled him back into line when he was obviously out of it.

“I’ll keep the headset on, alert me when you find something.” Bruce half stumbled up the stairs, eyes heavy. Finally he fell into the bed that had been undisturbed for an unhealthy amount of time. Usually it took a few hours to fall asleep ever since he was a child, a few seconds and then his eyes were open again, a sudden sound and a batarang was at the ready. But not tonight, tonight he was fast asleep, face buried into the pillow.

 

“Bruce? Hey can you hear me?”

The Batman reflexively pulled the batarang out from underneath his pillow aiming it at nothing, the room empty. He searched for a moment before his senses finally came to him and he tapped the headset “Alfred?”

“Nope... Did I wake you?”

The bright and early bird voice of Clark Kent was clear as day now “What time is it Clark?” Bruce’s voice was groggy as he rolled out of bed, brown hair in a disheveled mess. 

Clark raised his watch to his glasses “12:53 in the afternoon.” he was sitting at his desk. Daily Planet in a media frenzy over the events earlier. There was audible scrambling sounds, then the slam of a door over the headset, admittedly Clark was looking for a distraction from work, doing his best to look inconspicuous with a coffee mug against his lips.

Bruce rushed out of the room, what had he missed while being asleep? Skipping steps, half flying down the staircase to find Alfred drinking a cup of tea still sitting at the computer where he’d left him early this morning “Anything?”

“No Sir. I would have woken you.”

Clark’s voice interrupted his thoughts “Is everything alright Bruce?” he’d almost forgotten about Clark, preoccupied with the time.

“I’m alright Clark, we’re searching for Nightwing. He went missing last night, I think he’s gone after one of Luthor’s men.”

“If there’s anything I can do...”

Bruce cut him short “I’ll let you know as soon as we have something, we might need your help...” he realized Clark hadn’t given him a reason for calling him over the headset “...Did you need something Clark?”

The line was quiet for a minute “...I just wanted to check in on you is all. We had a rough morning.”

“I’m okay, how about you as I remember you weren’t doing so good.”

Clark’s short laugh made Bruce inhale suddenly “Yeah I got beaten up, but I think we pulled it together all right. Look... Thank you for helping me last night. It could have gone a lot worse.”

Alfred was eyeing him, eavesdropping in an obvious manner which made Bruce take his usual tone

“Yes it could have.”

“I guess that’s all I wanted to know... If you’re not busy with billionaire stuff maybe we could... Unofficially off the clock. I could help you find Nightwing.”

Bruce was about to refuse him but something in him wouldn’t allow it “We could use the company. When do you knock off at the Weekly Planet?”

“Daily Planet. And I knock off at five, so I’ll see you then?”

Bruce smirked “Whenever you finish that football report I suppose.”

“How?...”

“Get back to work Clark.”

Alfred sipped his tea in a loud and unnecessary manner, eyeing Bruce with that irritable knowing look.

Bruce removed the headset placing it on the table beside him “What?”

“Oh nothing Master Wayne.”

Bruce pulled up a stool beside the bat computer, his tone insistent “What?”

Alfred smiled behind his mug “Always said a lady from Metropolis would make you an honest man.”

“That wasn’t a lady, Alfred. That was the Superman.”

“Oh I know who it was.” Alfred assured poorly concealing his smug expression behind his tea, watching Bruce’s obvious discomfort.

An alert appeared on the screen of the bat-computer, Bruce immediately opened it and Lucius’s voice came through the loudspeaker “I went through our armory and technology archive, all the stuff we gave to Nightwing. I found the tracker devices that he uses, the rest of the same batch in fact. I believe I can calibrate the tracker signal to pick up any activity on the same frequency.”

Bruce nodded “Hijack the tracker signal he’s probably using to follow Luthor’s man.”

“That’s if he attached one to the man, Mr Wayne.”

“He had an opening when they landed on the second floor, I trained him to take that opportunity. Dick is smart, he’s tracking him alright.”

“I hope for his sake he is using this tracker. This man is obviously carrying the information that Luthor needs. You never know, Nightwing may not be the only one out there tracking this man.”

“I’ll keep that in mind Lucius.”

“I’ll let you know as soon as I find anything. Good luck Mr Wayne.” The communication disabled and Bruce turned to look at the cowl still lying on the ground beside the bat-mobile. He’d worn it as a symbol, to protect his identity and to protect the lives of the innocent. A mantle he’d taken up as a much younger man, and it dawned on him now that maybe no matter how many times he dropped the cowl he’d always pick it up again. Both the Batman and Bruce Wayne had the same duty, and he was the one to help them both see it through. To the end.


	13. All In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A silent alarm is triggered at Wayne Tower, friend or foe?   
> A hand pile that solidifies a partnership, and with each gain comes a loss.

“Master Wayne a silent security alarm is indicating meta-human activity inside the Applied Science Division basement.”

Bruce had just pulled his cowl over his head and without word returned to the bat-computer punching in the password to open up the alert. The surveillance footage appeared up on the screen and Bruce shook his head in irritation, he should have expected this.

The chicken and mayo sandwich was raised to his mouth, the first taste of the good soft bread and fresh meat went down with satisfying relief, an audible “Mmm” with each mouthful.

He lowered the half eaten sandwich just to take a long sip of soda through a cheap take-away straw, washing down some of his lunch before speaking “This is delicious, thanks Barry.”

Barry turned to him, having eaten his a while ago, now forced to wait for Hal to finish. The Flash and Green Lantern were swinging their legs over the ledge of Queen industries overlooking the Wayne reconstruction project in the ruins of the city center. They’d all done their best to clear the rubble this morning but even Barry wasn’t up for rebuilding the whole thing. Wayne had it under control anyway, always ready to swoop in on any reconstruction matter, strangely enough. Charitable guy. 

“S’good to see you again, wasn’t expecting to see you around so soon.” Hal managed in between mouthfuls 

Barry smiled “Thought I might lend a hand.” his red suit glowing under the midday sun almost hard to look at.

Hal raised his finger gesturing that he couldn’t talk, finally after what felt to the speedster like an eternity he finished “We shouldn’t be strangers Flash, we should, I don’t know exchange numbers and stuff.”

Barry was patting down his scarlet suit, looking up at the Green Lantern with emphasis of his point.

“Who knows you could have anything in there.”

Barry laughed “If you find a pocket let me know.” they shared a quiet moment, smiling as they looked away into the distant skyline of Gotham City.

“The Batman would probably consider this loitering right? Why are we still even in this city Barry?” 

“I suppose we made a pretty cool team this morning. Guess I didn’t think we’d be walking away so soon you know?”

When Hal didn’t answer him he checked beside him, his friend was scanning something with his power ring, focused on a man down in the city center signing some paperwork. 

“What are you doing Hal?”

“That man down there, he has traces of space matter on his suit jacket, now what’s a guy signing papers for a redevelopment project doing rolling around in space matter?”

Barry shrugged “Each to his own, man.”

Hal tidied up his small mess watching carefully as the man disappeared into a black SUV. He smiled at Barry with curiosity “Wanna follow Mr suspicious?”

Following the vehicle proved a perilous task, the stranger behind the wheel knew this cities layout pretty damn well. Densely compacted traffic one minute, a discrete alleyway the next, was he trying to shake a tail? 

Finally the SUV stopped at Wayne Tower in honesty not that far from the city center, where this guy had driven from. The detour seemed unnecessary, unless of course he had something to hide. Hal descended from his place in the sky as the red blur beneath him screeched to a halt. The back entrance to Wayne Tower opened up like a garage door that seemed to run down into a sub level basement. The SUV entered slowly, the large doors beginning to close behind it. 

Hal looked to his friend for only a second confirming the same idea before he was sped down into the tunnel, pretty sure his stomach was still outside. The big doors sealed closed behind them, the tunnel ahead running down underground lit up by luminescent bars lining the walls.

The heroes followed the trail down into the suspicious basement, finally reaching the small car park. Beside the SUV sat a large tarp covering something much bigger than a car. Hal lifted the thin material up to reveal the damaged yet still mostly intact Bat-Wing 

“Nope! Barry we are leaving!”

“What? Why?”

Hal tried to usher him away from the machine but the Flash was too quick for him “What is this thing?”

“It belongs to the Batman, one masterful piece of aerospace technology.”

“Who him or the plane here?”

Hal furrowed his brows “We shouldn’t be playing with his stuff is all, guys a nut job.”

“Seemed alright to me.”

“You didn’t talk to him!” Hal protested

Barry went silent, preoccupied something behind the lantern, Hal looked at him with concern “What?”

The speedster pushed past him gently approaching a door on the far side of the car park, his red gloved hand pushing the door open to reveal a wall of information like a collage of life stories strung together, photos, names, maps, newspapers, and schematics.

“He’s a nut job all right” Barry breathed

Some of the faces on this board he recognized, a partially finished newspaper article about a football player called Vic Stone, a string of red attached to the work of his father in advanced cybernetics, Diana Prince and her recorded military involvement in WW1. Sonar readings from over the Atlantic Ocean.There were reports on the Green Lanterns activities in Coast City, links to information about military aviation but nothing about his identity. This board was filled from the floor to the ceiling with background information on everyone. And there it was, his face pinned to the mass of information, red string wrapped around it leading to medical reports, news reports from his very early days through to just last week. The Batman had been keeping tabs on him from the start. 

Barry ripped the surveillance photo down from the board “He knows who I am.”

Hal was at the other end staring at a large schematic that took up most of that side “What the hell is this?” The plans laid out an enormous satellite, equipped with the ability to hijack all other satellites. A space station with each level dedicated to a line of defense, domestic or of space origin. A giant in orbit over Earth like a second moon.

Barry appeared at his side reading the schematics title aloud “The Watchtower.”

“We shouldn’t be in here Barry.”

The lights in the room shut off and the space was filled with a warning shade of red as if the power had gone out. Hal created a light with his ring paying special care to be vigilant when a voice filled the silence, the deep voice of Bruce Wayne.

“Barry Allen, Hal Jordan. I thought you’d left town.”

Barry snapped at him “Clearly you would know right?”

The voice was coming from a speaker “I have eyes on everyone I know, if it makes you feel any better Flash.”

The speedster leaned in against the microphone as Hal tried to hold him back “It doesn’t!” 

Hal shushed him before speaking to Bruce “We were tailing a suspicious man, we followed him to this place. We didn’t know it was yours.”

“What suspicious man?”

Barry picked up a Wayne Tower security ID with Applied Science Division written next to the face of the man in question “Lucius Fox, that’s the guy we followed.”

“He works for me. He’s tracking one of my men, and rebuilding the Watchtower. I hope that puts your mind at ease now Lantern.”

Hal looked up at the schematics “You’re building this thing?”

“In the draw to your left you’ll find photo’s of our project site out of town...”

The draw contained the scattered photos he was looking for, the lantern scooped them up into his hands, shuffling them one behind the other in disbelief.

Bruce voice continued through the microphone “...as you can see it’s almost complete and ready for outer space assembly.”  
Barry interrupted them “If you knew so much about us why didn’t you say anything before?”

“It didn’t seem necessary. But maybe that has changed. Meet me on the roof of Wayne Tower at five pm. If you don’t come, your names are still not coming off that list. I will keep you both under surveillance.”

“We’ll be there Batman.” Hal assured wrapping his hand around Barry’s arm to pull him away from the board.

The Batman sat perched on a conveniently placed gargoyle overlooking Gotham, he’d been running between informants all day, under the radar he didn’t want anyone noticing that he was out in the day. So bright out here, Bruce turned away from the glare of the sun that was so slowly starting to set. His inbuilt digital watch read 4:32pm ticking over at an excruciating pace.

“You’re early.”

Bruce admittedly was startled by the Superman hovering beside him, how did he not hear him? Or even smell his cologne, he could now.

“So are you.”

Clark smiled, moving from his position in the sky, closer to him “Are you alright Bruce?”

“Yes.”

“You’re heart is racing?”

His heart skipped a beat “Just worried about Nightwing.” Liar.

Clark nodded in understanding, his eyes trailing over the Batman’s cowl before giving him some space.

Bruce let out a long breath, internally denying the urge to reach out and run his hands over the smooth material of Clark’s kryptonian suit. The curiosity was eating at him inside, consciously trying to slow his own heart rate. Control yourself Bruce.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Clark gestured to the gargoyle, approaching him slowly like you would a untamed wild animal.

The Batman moved but Clark was faster, sliding up beside him. Bruce froze as the blue clad thigh rubbed against his own, elevated up as the Superman crossed his legs. The movement was slow and purposeful Bruce was sure of it, was Clark onto him? His heart sure wasn’t helping to conceal his nervous excitement, how he was thrilled by those innocent blue eyes watching him with something akin to predatory delight. Was the boy scout tormenting him on purpose?

Bruce refused to look at him, instead resigned to waiting for the Flash and Green Lantern to arrive. He had been trained to be hyper vigilant, perceptive but those skills were now working against him, he could feel Clark staring at him, the warmth radiating from his skin under the material, calm breath.

“Bruce?”

He flinched internally turning to face him, and he was so close. Bruce Wayne occasionally had his flings to maintain a horrible reputation, but he’d never been tortured by someones very presence. He couldn’t breathe, this want was slowly consuming him. Just a short space, he could just take the opportunity now. Face the consequences later, Nightwing would approve of that right?

Clark’s eyes shifted between his own, searching for something. Can he read minds too?

“I think they’re here.”

Bruce snapped out of it suddenly to find that Hal and Barry were behind them now waiting expectantly, they visibly looked awkward, knowing that they had intruded.

Clark was ahead of him already floating to the roof top, greeting them diplomatically “We haven’t been formally introduced.” Hal smiled pleasantly to the Superman in return.

Barry pushed his way in front insisting on greeting Clark too, Bruce was still perched on the gargoyle a little lost in his own mind. Why was he pushing himself so much? People came into his life, he loved them on a deep, unspoken level. Then they were taken away from him. He wasn’t good for Clark. 

With that thought he finally joined them on the roof, bottling up the surge of emotions that had risen to the surface. He vaguely remembered hearing small talk, some laughter and then he finally started paying attention. 

“Super Seven.”

Hal shook his head “Never going to happen Flash. We’re not going with that.”

Clark interjected “We still haven’t heard from Diana and this Cyborg. The Aquaman has also returned to the ocean. I would not rely on their aid next time, locating them may prove difficult.”

The three heroes turned to the Batman who finally spoke up “We’ll recruit them. But we can only do that if we have something for them to join.”

“You mean the Justice League?” Clark remembers seeing those newspapers before the print, Perry had been determined to make that the name. Ever since that front page article, all reaches of the world knew the group as the Justice League.

“Yes, I guess I do.”

Barry smiled excitedly “Then lets make this official!” his red gloved hand extended out in front of him, palm faced down to the ground, waiting for the others. A green glove covered his own, a small smirk from the Lantern. Clark looked to Bruce briefly before nodding to his new friends covering the Lantern’s glove with his uncovered hand. 

Everyone waited to see what the Batman would do. 

Bruce knew in himself that it was time to start playing in teams. These men would be his brothers in arms, no more standing alone. His heavy reinforced black glove landed on top of the pile. It was done.

 

“Sir, Mr Fox has contacted me. He’s located Master Grayson’s signal. It appears to be broadcasting from Ace Chemicals third floor, north-west corner.”

The team looked to the inbuilt speaker, waiting patiently for him to ask, although he knew even if he insisted he go alone they would only follow him anyway.

 

That Chemical smell, vats still full of poisonous fumes. He remembered this place well, he’d also never think to look for Dick here. He hadn’t been in this place since his last encounter with the Joker, the one that ended with Jason’s battered and bloodied body falling from the third floor into one of these vats. He remembered so vividly half hanging over the indoor balcony overlooking the vats helpless to stop the clown from pulling Robin’s body from the blood soaked chemical pool, dragging him away into the darkness.

Bruce reached the third floor in silence, Hal, Barry and Clark following him quietly. 

He stood before the room he’d been held as a prisoner in once before, why this place Dick? He pushed open the giant steel door slowly, he could smell Nightwing in here. The door swung open to reveal a cemented room with a chain link hanging from the center of the ceiling. The chain was still moving slightly and there was no wind being let into the room. There on the floor, a small abandoned bulb of micro technology flashing a shade of red.


End file.
